Łukasz Warzecha: Merwede – a demonstration of green commune

Last Sunday, I had to drive to downtown Warsaw. Who knows what's going on out there will see this step as pure madness. It is adequate to compose that the situation that arose as a consequence of the reconstruction, coordinated by the town hall under the direction of Mr Trzaskowski, even forced the “Capital Newspaper” to print an extended article on protests of residents of the territory (who are most deprived), entitled “A large mess on the construction of the fresh centre of Warsaw. Drivers drive against the current, residents get sick.” The article was written by Jarosław Ossowski himself, with “Election” connected for decades, 1 of the chief promoters as the sharpest and most aggressive approach to drivers.

Of course, only the way of the reconstruction was criticised, which included the full city centre (for those who know the topography of the capital: the area between Marszałkowska, Świętokrzyska, Nowy Świat and Jerusalem Avenues). The concept itself has not been criticised, which as usual is based on 1 assumption: to make life as hard as possible for drivers.

From the article I found out what deal the company concluded with the Town Hall in 2020, which is to operate inactive unopened underground garage under the Warsaw Insurgent Place. The city has committed itself to liquidating within 300 metres – note – 420 parking spaces. precisely the same number that will be available in the garage. So nothing and nothing will come, but it's a way to hunt down the tenant's clients. If the condition is not met, the city is to pay the company compensation all period until 2060. I don't gotta say that the author of this superb deal should be able to explain himself in a dense way, possibly even to the prosecutor. Now it turns out that the 2020 plan does not fit reality, so the city tries to negociate with the another side to halt at the liquidation of 300 seats – what has already happened, hence immense problems with parking. How do you think it will go?

All right, I was kidding. We all know.

At the moment, the situation is that almost all the places in that area are intended exclusively for residents with appropriate IDs – under the signs there are signs with the right subject – and in the area there is simply a circular of city guards and fines. uncovering a spare seat by individual who doesn't have an ID is simply a miracle. Or possibly he just is.

Traf wanted me to watch on the X portal on the same day a video signed by the planet economical Forum – a private institution led by Claus Schwab, who has been trying for years to set paths only for good progress. It was there, in a peculiar publication announcing the WeF in 2016, entitled “Eight of Prophecies for 2030”, that the essay by Danish MP Ida Auken appeared, from which the catchy phrase “you will have nothing and you will be happy”. (I wrote. about this extended on the PCh24 portal in February 2023) This video tells of Merwede, a territory of Dutch Utrecht, which is to be built around the concept of a 15-minute town where no 1 will decision in a private car.

The movie dates back to 2020, erstwhile the Merwede task – a residential area to replace business. The latest information about it is from 2023, and they say that the developer already operates there, and the territory is to be inhabited in 2025. Google maps (photos from this year) show ongoing work. 12 1000 people are going to live there. It's not that they're going to gotta get free of the car as long as they have one. At the edge of the territory there is to be a garage with places for rent (EUR 200 per month), but these places are adequate for only about 30% of residents. The others, if they think of an evil thought of utilizing the car, will be able to usage a pool of shared vehicles to be in the full 250th district. The project's descriptions are silent on how long ahead you'll gotta sign up for a car. most likely a battery. But will anyone in a 15-minute town (actually, a district) request anywhere else to go erstwhile the planet is on fire? There will be 21.5 1000 bicycle parking spaces.

Not all of them were delighted with the project. Opposition councillor Utrechtu Cees Bos at a gathering of the city council in 2021 spoke about making the Merwede “Kalkuty” and “the crap gap of the Netherlands”.

A large number of commentators felt that there was no problem, since surviving in Merwede would be voluntary, so no 1 would force people to quit cars – they would agree to restrictions themselves. And in fact – in the microscale 1 could halt at this conclusion, stating that if individual fits specified a green neocommun, then let him sit there.

Except it's a context-sensitive approach. It is not without reason that the Merwede concept was delighted by WEF Claus Schwaba – an organization whose members are babbling about the planet of "new economics", about "degrowth", calling for a sit-down, abandoning airplane flights and driving a car, while they themselves are completely not subject to and will not be subject to these restrictions. In the descriptions of how Merwede is to operate, it is repeated that residents are to be “encouraged” (encouraged) to usage bicycles and public transport. But what does it mean: “encouraged” if they simply don't have another option? Here they immediately come to the head of Mr.Trzaskowski's action in the centre of Warsaw (and not only there): "encouraging" to usage collective transport is not to improve its quality, but to hinder the usage of its own car, until the bans (zone of clean transport!) inclusive.

The full Merwede concept is what English calls showcaseand what does not have a good Polish counterpart: it is simply a demonstration case, a demonstration of possibilities. From this point of view, it does not substance that for now we are talking about voluntary residence there. It is easy to see that erstwhile the vicinity opens and begins to function, it will service the various Schwabs and another Jan Mencwels as an argument: see, so it can be “no harm done” (argument favorites in specified situations), so halt whining and shouting about individual freedom. catch your bikes and go.

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The movie advertising the Merwede task can be seen Here..

Luke Warches