(Press release, June 26, 2025) The Austrian Students’ Union (ÖH) at the University of Salzburg clearly opposes the construction of the so-called Porsche Tunnel. This prestige project by Wolfgang Porsche, intended to run through the Kapuzinerberg, is meeting with incomprehension—particularly among Salzburg’s students, who are struggling with massive financial burdens.
„Es ist ein Schlag ins Gesicht für alle jungen Menschen, die in dieser Stadt wohnen oder studieren. Während viele Studierende nicht wissen, wie sie ihre Miete zahlen sollen, kaufen sich Superreiche buchstäblich eigene Wege durch den Boden” [It is a slap in the face for all the young people who live or study in this city. While many students do not know how they are going to pay their rent, the super-rich are literally buying their own paths through the ground.], criticizes Stephanie Wolfgruber, Vize-Chairperson of the ÖH Uni Salzburg.
The ÖH emphasizes that the project is not only socially unjust but also highly problematic from a historical perspective.
„Dass dieses Projekt ausgerechnet von einem Milliardenvermögen finanziert wird, das zu großen Teilen auf der Ausbeutung von Zwangsarbeit während des NS-Regimes basiert, ist ein Skandal” [It is a scandal that this project is being financed by a fortune—amounting to billions—that is largely based on the exploitation of forced labor during the Nazi regime.], says Cedric Keller, Chairperson of ÖH Uni Salzburg.
On Monday, an official report from the City of Salzburg’s planning department confirmed that the tunnel project is legally permissible. According to the ÖH, however, the project’s legal permissibility should not be mistaken for a justification for morally questionable undertakings.
„Nur weil es legal ist, bedeutet das noch lange nicht, dass es richtig ist. Es ist die Aufgabe der Politik, klare Grenzen zu setzen – vor allem dann, wenn gesellschaftliche Ungleichheit so eklatant sichtbar wird”[Just because something is legal, it does not necessarily mean it is right. It is the responsibility of policymakers to set clear boundaries—especially when social inequality becomes so glaringly apparent.], adds Leonhard Hecht, 2. vice chairperson of ÖH Uni Salzburg.
The ÖH calls for a shift in thinking regarding city and state policy: instead of facilitating expensive private projects, public funds and political efforts should support social housing, the expansion of student residences, and fair rent policies.
