Construction policy was a key topic in the run-up to Wiltz's municipal elections in June. But four months on, there has been little change despite a handover in power.
Prior to the elections, then-opposition party the DP had criticised the former LSAP mayor Fränk Arndt for issuing a number of illegal building permits and demanded that all permits issued since 2017 should be reviewed and retracted. But the new CSV-DP coalition which assembled in the municipal council after the election concluded is yet to engage with the matter.
Nearly four months on, there is little to report on the topic of construction policy. The CSV and the DP signed their coalition agreement on 6 July and new mayor Carole Petitnicolas-Weigel was sworn in a week later on 13 July. When asked, Petitnicolas-Weigel explained she was busy getting to grips with different dossiers, but did not think it was likely there would be a comprehensive review of older building permits in the near future.
"I don't think everything can be checked. We're also in a phase of transition at the moment. Of course, building regulations are revised regularly and general development plans (PAG) are in revision procedures. The issues mentioned before will be checked again and the municipal council has been informed of this."
Petitnicolas-Weigel did not offer much detail on the potential repercussions in situations where building regulations were not followed. She said the buildings could not be torn down in any case, and she would prefer to look to the future in order to prevent such situations from developing once again. All major projects would automatically go to the building commission - with a new panel from October - to reduce the possibility of mistakes. The council was also in contact with the Ministry of the Interior regarding the matter, she added.
"In terms of division it is difficult. We have to examine each situation and check the land in Wiltz. Now we are in contact with the Ministry to adapt the regulations in order to simplify the process. It was most likely the case that this is where the mistakes occurred with those previous issues, but I won't go into detail on that now."
Previously, Wiltz council was led by a CSV-LSAP coalition from 2015 until 2023, following the merger of the municipalities of Wiltz and Eschweiler. The current general development plan (PAG) has been in place since 2017. The LSAP, now the only opposition party represented on the council, declined to comment on the new coalition's future construction policy, saying they did not possess sufficient information.
On 3 February 2021, searches were conducted at the town hall, a local construction company, and the homes of a number of private individuals, following allegations from customs officials that illegal construction debris had been stored in two areas within the municipality. Such acts were considered violations of the commodo legislation and the PAG Act. Further investigations were launched in 2022.
During the 2023 election campaign, the Wiltz DP accused then-mayor Fränk Arndt of maintaining suspiciously close relationships with various construction companies. However, as more than 2.5 years have passed since initial investigations began, it is not possible to obtain further details from the public prosecutor's office. Arndt denied all accusations and refused to let the investigations deter him from standing in the municipal elections.
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