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Court decides on citizens' petition against LNG terminal in Sassnitz
City of Sassnitz rejects citizens' petition for LNG terminal. Lawsuit in court on September 9, 2025. Discussions about the environment and tourism flared up.
Court decides on citizens' petition against LNG terminal in Sassnitz
The dispute over the LNG terminal in Mukran remains exciting. A year and a half ago, the Sassnitz city council rejected a citizens' petition that was directed against the terminal. Back in the fall of 2023, over 1,000 residents gave their signatures for a different decision-making process. This citizens' initiative demands that the city prohibit any legal transactions relating to the construction and operation of the LNG infrastructure in the port area, as the Ostsee Zeitung reports.
Despite the massive citizen commitment, the city administration decides that the request will be rejected due to its formal and material invalidity. The decision was passed with 9 votes to 8, which shows that opinions differ greatly even within the city parliament. The lawyers of the initiators, Norbert Dahms, Mario Pagel and Hans-Jörg Last, are now filing an objection before the Greifswald Administrative Court. The hearing is scheduled for September 9, 2025. The plaintiffs' declared goal is for the citizens' initiative to be permitted again.
Why the resistance? The city argues that there is a lack of evidence of negative impacts of the terminal on the environment and tourism and sees the matter as a federal matter. However, this is refuted by the initiators' lawyer in the lawsuit. If the court supports the citizens' application, this could result in the city scheduling a binding referendum.
Energy future or tourism risk?
The question arises: What does this mean for the future of the LNG terminal? The terminal has now been in regular operation for a year and plays a central role in the current energy supply. However, a referendum could produce a majority in favor of the citizens' initiative, which could, in the best case scenario, lead to the terminal being dismantled. This also raises the question of whether the economic benefits that the terminal may bring to the region outweigh the potential disadvantages for the environment and tourism.
The topic of LNG on Rügen has also received national attention. Citizens show great interest in the effects of energy policy on their homeland. Such a commitment is not without controversy and highlights the obstacles that referendums have on the path to a sustainable energy transition, as the platform for citizens' initiatives on climate protection also states.
The upcoming negotiation will determine whether the citizens of Sassnitz can gain a stronger say in such a crucial matter for their community. Let's hope that clarification and a fair process have their say as the city administration and the citizens' initiative collide.
For anyone who would like to delve deeper into the topic, the background information and further information are available bürger-begehren-klimaschutz.de and climate-and-democracy.de to find.