Supporting today's demonstration against the Stuttgart 21 project to replace the main railway station in Stuttgart, Germany, with a new underground station, German MEP Sabine Wils has called for an immediate halt to the project and its use of EU funds.

The Stuttgart 21 project involves the construction of a new high speed train station at the city's airport and 30km of tunnels. The project is linked to a speculative redevelopment of the city centre and is opposed by the majority of people in Stuttgart as a waste of money and an environmental hazard.

Sabine Wils explained that there have been "huge inaccuracies during the planning phase of the project". "The company entrusted with the demolition of the existing station, 'Wolf & Miller' for example had not paid the standard minimum wages paid to construction workers."

Irish MEP Joe Higgins said that the money wasted on destroying this efficient railway station would be better spent on providing jobs and services for working people. "This also includes money that is being contributed by the EU. The threat to the environment and infrastructure that this project poses is also very serious - with the main station, monuments, regional public transport, trees and mineral water all endangered. For good reasons therefore, the majority of people in Stuttgart oppose it - yet it is being pushed ahead by those who will profit from it - construction companies, property developers and the banks", he concluded.

Brussels, 3 September 2010

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