Taraba: No Permit Issued for Construction of Incinerator Near Dudince Spa

Bratislava/Dudince, February 26 (TASR) - No permit for the construction of an incinerator near the spa town of Dudince (Banska Bystrica region) has been issued by the Environment Ministry, and the ministry has rejected any discussion about an incinerator being built there, said Environment Minister Tomas Taraba (a Slovak National Party/SNS nominee) before the cabinet session on Wednesday. "I've checked the whole process. No permit has been issued for any incinerator by the Environment Ministry. All ministries that have commented on this have issued a negative stance, so I can reassure the public. I suppose that there can't be a positive attitude towards an incinerator when everyone speaks negatively [about it]," noted Taraba. The Environment Ministry asked the Health Ministry for a written opinion on building the incinerator. Health Minister Kamil Sasko (Voice-SD) claims that this is a standard procedure that falls under the jurisdiction of the State Spa Commission. "An opinion is something completely different from a decision, and no decision has been issued," stated Sasko. He specified that the opinion sets out seven conditions for the company, and failure to meet these would mean a negative decision. The conditions are aimed at protecting natural healing resources and minerals. Taraba stated that building an incinerator near the spa would be "pure madness". According to him, Slovakia needs three or four incinerators that should be located on the premises of former chemical plants and connected to the railway network. Kosice-based company Granya intends to build a facility for sorting and recycling mixed municipal and industrial waste and an incinerator for non-recyclable waste in the village of Hontianske Tesare. An 'Energy ReUse Centre - ERC', with an estimated cost of €120 million, should be built near Dvorniky on privately owned land. In addition to the mayors of the affected towns and villages, local residents have also repeatedly expressed their opposition to the construction of the facility. ko/df