<Jáchymov> announced another referendum regarding the <trail in the clouds> at <Klínovec>

Jáchymov – The representatives of Jáchymov in the Karlovy Vary region today announced the second referendum regarding the construction of the Skywalk cloud trail on Klínovec. In the first referendum last autumn, the majority of residents rejected the sale of municipal land necessary for the construction on the highest mountain of the Ore Mountains. In the second referendum, people will decide this time on the lease of the land for the Skywalk, said Mayor Bronislav Grulich. The referendum date has been set for May 20.

The now unused forest land at the top of Klínovec is to be offered by the city to investors for lease at 2.23 million crowns per year. The price is expected to reflect inflation growth in the following years. The previous referendum was about selling this land for six million crowns. According to the mayor, leasing the land for 50 years could bring up to 250 million crowns into the municipal treasury with rising inflation. "Jáchymov needs other resources besides the budget allocation of taxes, and leasing the land is the best option. Another benefit is higher employment,” added Grulich.

Mayor Grulich has long supported the mountain attraction. "We have information that the investor wants to continue building, having invested a considerable amount of money into it. After further negotiations, we discussed with the investor the possibility of construction on leased land. But we still take into account that the people in the first referendum were against it, so we think they should express their opinion now," he said.

According to opposition councilor and initiator of the petition against the Skywalk, Michal Baláž, the city leadership is trying to bypass the original decision of the residents. "I have always supported letting people decide for themselves about this. We are concerned that this path will affect the lives of people for the next 50 years. The previous referendum was valid and binding, people were against it, and they want to wipe it out with this,” he told CTK. Previously, the opposition warned that an increase in tourism would lead to more traffic, noise, and litter, thus increasing costs for the city. They also disagreed with the offered price, which they considered too low.

The city leadership wanted to declare the plebiscite as soon as possible. However, the original April date was postponed by the councilors due to the expected extension of the state of emergency declared by the government due to the influx of refugees from Ukraine. Therefore, residents will be able to vote on the lease of the land only on May 20 from 09:00 to 21:00. The opposition suggested combining the referendum with municipal elections.

Approximately 2,500 people live in Jáchymov. In the previous referendum, about a thousand of the total 1,842 eligible voters came to the polling station. 601 of them were against the sale of land for the construction of the cloud path. Thus, the referendum was valid and binding for the council.