Overview

• The Oberverwaltungsgericht Bautzen ruled the 2003 ordinance creating the national park and surrounding landscape protection area is essentially lawful.
• The court annulled the inclusion of the Wismut mining site, voided the addition of certain individual parcels, and invalidated airspace regulations over the protected region.
• The Bastei remains part of the national park despite the targeted changes.
• The panel refused to admit a revision to the Federal Administrative Court, leaving only complaints against that refusal as a remaining avenue, so the decision is not yet final.
• The environment minister, Georg-Ludwig von Breitenbuch, called the ruling a fresh start and plans talks with the district administrator and mayors, as Lohmen and the Pirna district office signal ongoing need for discussion.