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The bigger the plans, the bigger the lies
Bas Eickhout and Sven Giegold visited FMO (Flughafen Münster-Osnabrück) and Enschede Airport Twente on Friday May 7th 2010.
By Gerda Minkjan
On a rainy and cold spring Friday Green Members of the European Parliament Bas Eickhout and Sven Giegold got together with our Dutch and German politicians and members of nature protection organizations and pressure groups to discuss the runway expansion of FMO and the latest plan for Airport Twente.
Sadly most politicians on both sides of the Dutch-German border claim both airports have a right to exist and expand for economic reasons and employment. What they rather not tell is that figures about passengers have always been over-optimistic: only 1,2 to 1,5 million passengers a year have shown up at FMO instead of the predicted 4 or 5 million.
FMO
After informal introductions in front of the terminal at FMO the group takes a look at the beautiful meandering brook nearby FMO; the Eltingmühlenbach. We visit a beautiful spot South of the runway, where we admire the slowly meandering “Bach” that looks more like a small river. We stand in a beautiful landscape of rolling hills, fields and woods. Every five minutes or so we hear the roaring sounds of air planes landing or taking off. While we chatt about the runway expansion someone jokes:
“If the runway expansion would be 400 meters longer even a space shuttle could land here.”
Then we walk to the spot West of the runway where the runway expansion is planned. We are informed by NABU about the plans to cover the brook with a 40 meter long construction with a “roof” of glass stones. Deep below us runs the threatened Eltingmühlenbach, its neighbouring tree tops rigorously chopped off “for safety reasons.” It’s obvious why the expansion of the runway will coast so much: a great stretch of land will have to be elevated.
Landing planes now interrupt our conversations.
Nature protection organisations worry about the measures to cover the brook. The kingfisher for example might not survive there once the gigantic construction is in place. Sven Giegold and Bas Eickhout ask questions and they really do seem to know what they are talking about. That sure feels good.
Back at FMO a bus awaits us to drive us to Airport Twente. We collect some more people in Steinfurt.
Airport Twente
In the meantime at Airport Twente Dutch politicians, members of nature protection organizations and pressure groups have gathered to meet their German “colleagues” and the two very capable and very Green MEP’s. After coffee and tea in the airport restaurant we form a circle in the car park where some of us tell why they don’t want this runway expansion of FMO and Airport Twente to be built. The Dutch and the German stories are remarkably similar: the bigger the plans, the bigger the lies.
Once the Provincial Parliament in Zwolle (Overijssel) decides to give the (not so) green light for the latest Airport Twente-plan on June 16th 2010 Bas Eickhout will do all he can for us as an MEP in Brussels. But of course we all hope that all our efforts to influence these politicians will pay off before that and they will vote against this ridiculous plan. Then the green heart between Enschede, Hengelo and Oldenzaal can finally rest in peace.
Sven Giegold’s observations gave us something to think about. Yes, it is truly amazing how lots of politicians plan all kinds of things in rural and green areas and how this leads to urbanization. The Green parties attract more and more voters from threatened areas. These people have come to realize that their surroundings are in dire need of protection. Before the bus leaves from Airport Twente we all share information and contact addresses. We are united now and thus even better prepared for what is to come. We’ll definitely meet again. Hopefully in better weather conditions…
