New Year's speech by Mayor Roel Wever: "Heerlen will continue to move forward, together, with courage and solidarity."

During this New Year's moment, the mayor expressed his admiration for Heerlen's resilience. "We haven't had it easy," said Wever, "but even without headwinds, our kite is flying high." According to him, projects and events in Benzenrade, on Raadhuisplein, Wintertijd, and the further development of Hoensbroek, among other places, underscore the city's strength.

New Year's Eve and safety

The New Year's Eve celebrations were turbulent, with fires, car fires, and victims ending up in hospital. Illegal fireworks were also confiscated and the police discovered cannabis farms. "And yet, this year we can say: it wasn't too bad," Wever concluded. The fireworks ban will apply to the coming New Year's Eve. How does the government think we can enforce this without additional enforcement capacity when fireworks continue to be sold just across the border in Germany and Belgium? 

Investing in collaboration and innovation

Looking back on the past year, the mayor emphasized the importance of cooperation, including with Maastricht University. According to Wever, major projects such as the Einstein Telescope, the development of an AI Gigafactory, and the Parkstad Act demonstrate that investment, nurturing, and regulation must go hand in hand.

He spoke proudly of Heerlen as a "champion of transformation." The city is increasingly attracting national and international attention as "the miracle of Heerlen." Visits from the king, queen, prime minister, ministers, and the director of the Cologne-Bonn region, among others, confirm this image, as does the involvement of experts and partners from across the country.

Keep fighting for the region

At the same time, Wever emphasized that not everything happens automatically. "We continue to make progress in The Hague," he said, referring to issues such as the National Program Heerlen North and the follow-up to the Regional Deals. We have written a letter to the informateur stating that it is important to invest in innovation and the economy in our cross-border region. Sometimes, he said, it is "one step forward and two steps back," but the vision for Parkstad remains clear: investing in the region pays off. The mayor expressed his disappointment that the companies that developed from the mining companies did not respond this summer to a friendly appeal from Mayor Dassen and himself to cooperate in the tremendous transformation that the region is currently undergoing. 

Call for more powers

A significant portion of the speech focused on complex social issues, such as misunderstood behavior, avoidance of care, and nuisance behavior. Wever outlined specific examples from a single week, ranging from dangerous situations involving dogs to threats against supermarket employees. "Alcohol, drugs, and a lack of support often play a role. Ultimately, these people end up coming to me because they have nowhere else to turn," said the mayor, who called for more powers and support from the national government for mayors.

Looking ahead to 2026

Despite the challenges, Wever called on people not to dwell on the past, but to look ahead. He pointed to the many positive initiatives and moments in the city, such as neighborhood visits, awards, the liberation meal, and cultural events. Moreover, 2026 will be a special year with elections. The mayor made an emphatic call to vote, to mobilize your network to vote, and to remain involved in the neighborhoods.

Finally, he emphasized that Heerlen is all about housing, Health, safety, well-being, education, sports, and attractive public spaces. In the area of Health , he Health the ambitions for a hospital with a maternity center and emergency room (ER), and a national maternity center with a campus for education and business.

Mayor Roel Wever:
“I am optimistic. Not because everything will automatically go well, but because we are doing it together. For Heerlen, for you. Let's raise a toast to a wonderful year.”