Dispute over regional center: Schmalkalden defends itself against KAG allegations!

Dispute over regional center: Schmalkalden defends itself against KAG allegations!

The wave of excitement is making waves in the southern Thuringia region. A dispute over the future regional center has brought the towns of Schmalkalden and Meiningen into a bitter balance of power. The focus is not only on local vanities, but also on the question of how we can look into the future together. Loud insuedthueringen.de Schmalkalden's mayor Thomas Kaminski firmly rejects allegations from the Municipal Working Group (KAG). This had criticized the cooperation and claimed that Meiningen and Schmalkalden were not sufficiently included in the concept of a regional center.

Kaminski counters the statements of Suhl's mayor André Knapp, who accuses the two cities of lack of interest. After speaking to Knapp on June 30, he described his information as inaccurate. His impression: The appointment requests from Schmalkalden were rejected, and a constructive conversation failed due to a lack of interest. “The public appearance of transferring the KAG into a special-purpose association is not helpful,” said Kaminski, who emphasizes that this should not be about personal animosity, but about the well-being of the region.

Disappointment with the decision

The KAG is disappointed with the state government's decision to form a regional center made up of six cities. This is in contrast to previous agreements and concepts, which already provide for close cooperation between the cities of Oberhof, Schleusingen, Suhl and Zella-Mehlis. André Knapp, the chairman of the KAG, describes the situation as intolerable and emphasizes the need for contracts and agreements to be respected. oberzentrum-suedthueringen.de reports that a spatial planning contract was signed on June 24th, which stipulates cooperation with Meiningen and Schmalkalden. The KAG's opposition to a larger regional center is based on historical experiences that point to difficulties.

The KAG was founded in 2018 to promote the development of these four cities. Last year, the KAG received support of 90,000 euros from the state government and 714,000 euros in federal funding. However, the question remains as to how these resources can be used efficiently if the structure of the regional center is not clearly defined. “We call on the state government to reconsider this decision and to concentrate on what is essential: strengthening the region,” Knapp further emphasizes.

Successes and challenges

Despite the political uncertainties surrounding the KAG, the group is self-confident. On July 1st, the chairmanship changed from André Knapp to Alexander Brodführer (Schleusingen), who will now be at the helm. stadt-oberhof.de highlights that cooperation between the cities has been intensified in recent months, despite the challenges posed by the expansions of the regional center.

The KAG has achieved notable successes in economic development over the last twelve months, including holding networking events and company visits. The visibility of the community was also improved through various communication measures. Plans include a city biathlon in August and the introduction of a digital 4-city voucher.

It remains to be seen whether the KAG will succeed in overcoming the existing challenges and creating a future-proof basis for all cities. One thing is certain, however: close cohesion and clear agreements are crucial for the success of the region.