TIROLER TAGESZEITUNG AM SONNTAG "Editorial" edition of Sunday, July 9, 2023, by Max Strozzi: "Everyone has to want it too"

2023-07-08 20:00:30

The case of the Russian villa in Kitzbühel also raises doubts as to whether everyone is taking the fight against illegal leisure residences seriously.

Innsbruck (OTS) – Municipalities form control communities, and court judgments in which illegal leisure residences are punished are increasing. In particular, the joke about the “work place of residence” no longer works. The problem of illegal leisure residences is being taken more seriously, even if the penalties are sometimes small.
However, the events surrounding the Kitzbühel villa, which has been attributed to the Russian oligarch Arkadi Rotenberg since 2013, give one to think about whether everyone is pulling together and in the same direction. Because, as has now become known, the state’s tourism department determined after an on-site inspection in 2019 that the luxury chalet is being used as a leisure residence, which is why a leisure residence flat rate has been charged for the TVB since then. At the time, however, no one apparently came up with the obvious idea of checking whether the Russian villa was actually an approved leisure residence. This is obviously not absolutely necessary, because even illegal leisure residences have to pay such taxes – which is very strange anyway. But you could still come up with the idea of taking a look at the list of approved leisure residences if you already come across a holiday home with your nose – in order to take the opportunity to hold the city of Kitzbühel accountable. It can’t be that difficult, but everyone has to want it.
What’s the use if the fight against illegal leisure residences is declared and in the implementation everyone cooks their own soup. It often fails due to a lack of will; different responsibilities are simply put forward. Cases like the Russian villa raise doubts as to whether the problem is taken seriously by everyone and whether a solution is even desired.