Avannaata Municipality now partially explains why, in connection with the establishment of stairs at a future pontoon area in Itisuarsuk, the Inatsisartut land use law has not been followed.
– In this case, we have been ordered by the mayor (Lars Erik Gabrielsen (S), ed.) to start building the stairs. When there was a clear demand from the highest-ranking political leaders in the municipality, the work was started, the director of technical administration replies in writing to Sermitsiaq.
Avannaata Municipality now partially explains why, in connection with the establishment of stairs at a future pontoon area in Itisuarsuk, the Inatsisartut land use law has not been followed.
– In this case, we have been ordered by the mayor (Lars Erik Gabrielsen (S), ed.) to start building the stairs. When there was a clear demand from the highest-ranking political leaders in the municipality, the work was started, the director of technical administration replies in writing to Sermitsiaq.
With this answer, however, he does not answer all of Sermitsiaq’s questions. Sermitsiaq sent the following questions to Avannaata Kommunia:
How can the municipality initiate construction when the land permit has not yet been approved or issued? Does the municipality believe that it is in accordance with current legislation to start construction before you have obtained the land? If so, what law forms the basis for it?
Municipality: We have a duty to follow the law
Avannaata Kommunia will not directly explain why the law has not been followed, but only states that the initiation was due to the mayor handing out the task. Although in this case the law has not been followed, the municipality stresses that in all cases it is obliged to follow the legislation.
– The municipality and the secretariat have a duty to follow applicable legislation, including in this case, the Inatsisart Act on planning and land use applies. The information and procedures published on the municipality’s website apply to everyone, writes the technical director.
We have tried to get the municipality to elaborate on whether a demand from the mayor should be weighted higher than current legislation, which has already been explained by the relevant department. However, the request for clarification has not been answered at the time of writing.
Department: Permission must come first
The Department of Finance has previously explained how the applicable law should be understood. The statement does not mention the staircase construction in Ilulissat directly, but the applicable law is explained and quoted:
– According to Section 37 of the Act, it applies as a basic rule that no area may be excluded from general use and taken into use without permission from the land-use authority, and that no area may change use without permission from the land-use authority, the department wrote.
Avannaata Kommunia passed on the task of building stairs in Itisuarsuk at the end of December 2025. But the permission for land use was not issued until January 8, 2026. This is evident from documents that Sermitsiaq has had access to.
