On Thursday, February 20, a crucial city council meeting will take place in Bratislava, with decisions that will significantly impact the large undeveloped area on the right bank of the Danube. Two major developer groups – JTRE and Penta – plan to build ambitious megaprojects, New Lido and Southbank, which will create a new urban district. In order to proceed with their current plans, they need changes to the urban planning and approval for land swaps.
We asked several council members about their views on the changes and how they will vote. Mayor Matúš Vallo has a majority in the city council, with his coalition – Team Bratislava, SaS, and PS – holding 28 out of 45 seats. Based on responses in a survey, it appears that a large part of this group will vote in favor of the changes, citing that the city administration has negotiated the best possible deal with the developers. The six-member SOM Bratislava council group, led by former deputy mayor Juraj Káčer, also tentatively supports the proposal.
Negative views are expected from the Mayors' Club, including Ján Hrčka, a prominent critic of Vallo’s city management. While he did not reveal how he would vote, he is expected to oppose the proposal. Two members from Team Bratislava, PS, and SaS – Ján Karman and Martin Winkler, who left the coalition in 2023 – have already stated their opposition.
The project involves building modern residential complexes, offices, and a new park on the Petržalka side of the Danube, replacing a little-known forested area. The Danube waterfront will also be transformed with a new beach and a boat dock. Experts, environmentalists, and various initiatives have been discussing this topic for years, arguing that the city is yielding to the developer and that the proposed solution is not economically beneficial for Bratislava. They also claim that Mayor Matúš Vallo’s administration should have negotiated much more for the residents concerning land swaps.
Source: Dennik N
