Open day: A look behind the scenes of democracy in Eisenstadt

Open day: A look behind the scenes of democracy in Eisenstadt

Every year the country house in Eisenstadt opens its doors to the citizens, and this year the “Open Day” was also a complete success. Hundreds of people visited the administrative facilities on Saturday, October 26th to gain an insight into the work of the authorities and institutions. State Governor Hans Doskozil and State Parliament President Robert Hergovich warmly welcomed them and emphasized the importance of being close to the citizens for the administration.

The event included not only the offices of the state governor and the state parliament president, but also the state parliament meeting room and the state security headquarters. A particularly appealing highlight was the showcase of volunteer organizations who presented their offerings in front of the country house and recognized the valuable work of the volunteers. "We want to show people that their administration is there for them. Trust and transparency are important to us," explained Doskozil.

Importance of democracy

In his speech, Robert Hergovich, the President of the State Parliament, emphasized the central role of the country house as the heart of democracy in Burgenland. “It is gratifying to see that many citizens have found their way here to learn more about our democratic processes,” said Hergovich. He had declared 2024 the “Year of Democracy” in order to strive for greater opening of the state parliament. This is already evident from the fact that over 4,000 people took the opportunity to visit the state parliament last year.

The extensive program offered a wide range of information on topics such as energy, consumer protection, housing, family support, tourism and culture. “We are committed to ensuring that volunteer work in Burgenland receives the appreciation it deserves,” says Doskozil. Voluntary work makes a major contribution to society, and the open day should make these achievements visible and recognize them.

In addition to visiting the administrative offices, visitors had the opportunity to get to know the extensive commitment of the volunteer organizations. They do great things for the community, which was also strongly emphasized at the open day. Many of the organizations presented there actively support citizens and support a variety of social projects.

There were also some photo options for anyone interested. Photos of the day can be viewed via links provided. It is a day full of meetings, exchange of information and getting to know the people behind the numbers and titles of the administration. For many citizens, this day was an important opportunity to come into direct contact with their administration and to experience how the democratic processes work in Burgenland.

A special moment was the award of the long-time head of Burgenland's military music, Colonel Hans Miertl, who was honored by the governor with the Great Golden Medal of Honor of the State of Burgenland. This honored his decades of achievement and his commitment to culture in Burgenland.

All in all, the open day was a visible sign of the closeness between administration and citizens, highlighting both the functionality and the human side of political work. For many citizens it was an opportunity to find out more about the work of the state administration and to ask questions directly to those responsible. Further information about the activities on the open day is available here to find.