Concept of the official authorities presented

The city of Klagenfurt prepared a comprehensive authority concept for EURO 2008. The concept reconciles all authority procedures and has just been presented to the public. The concept was developed by Karin Zarikian, head of the Building and Trade Law department and presented in the presence of Mayor Harald Scheucher and Manfred Pock, chairman of the Organising Committee.

For the sake of the concept, the city of Klagenfurt is divided into various critical zones. The core, or most neuralgic, areas are the two Fan Zones on the Exhibition Grounds and in Neuer Platz, the Fan Mile plus the fan area in the city centre, the area around the stadium including parts of Waidmannsdorf, Europapark, the train station and the airport. "The authority concept focuses on prevention, security ordinances of the local police, search and enforcement by mobile task forces, the crisis team needed in the event of disaster alarm, and an authority hotline", Ms. Zarikian explained. As far as prevention is concerned, all the current building sites were examined to prevent potential risks. During the time of the Football Championship, no civil engineering or road building work will be allowed. The security ordinance of the local police concerns the ban on spirits in public places, the prohibition of the use of drinking glasses or cans in public places, a building site protection order and the regulation to remove any objects that could be thrown at people.

The two most essential items with regard to search and enforcement are the presence of mobile task forces, MET, and the support by mobile technical task forces, TET. The MET will step in when garbage is emptied on the street or flowers are pulled out, when rotten food is circulated, in the event of noise disturbance or illegal prostitution. The TET can be called if shop windows are smashed that need to be planked to prevent plundering. Zarikian: "Both task forces will have their seats at the Municipal Park Office in Pulverturmstraße."

The authority concept also covers the approvals for various events. In addition to the city centre, the stadium, Klagenfurt Exhibition Grounds and Europapark, there will be some smaller or larger Public Viewing opportunities at Schleppe event hall, in Wiegelegasse, at the Pondrosa inn and in the square in front of the train station. Official regulations have also been passed for camping sites. There will be four camping sites in total (STW Strandbad, STW Beach volleyball court, Maximilianstraße and Wiegelegasse). "To prevent unauthorised camping at other places, security patrols will check the parks near the fan miles", Zarikian explained. Additional security patrols will be organised for other parks, too.
Curfew times are another important issue. Pubs, restaurants, bars, etc. may be open from 6:00 to 4:00 am, outdoor restaurants have to close at midnight.


Photo: Stadtpresse/Burgstaller