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Dragun: Oil Pipeline Alternative Routes Not Available
Wednesday 07 July 2010 Zoom in | Print page
Bratislava, July 7 (TASR) - The Economy and Construction Ministry officially confirmed that it does not have any alternative routes for the projected Bratislava-Schwechat pipeline prepared, TASR learned from chairman of civil association 'No to the Pipeline through Zitny Ostrov' Miroslav Dragun on Wednesday.
According to Dragun, the members of the association came to the Ministry on Wednesday to request the plans for the alternative routes for the pipeline (which should avoid the Zitny Ostrov, a territory with Slovakia's largest reserves of drinking-water), because the departing economy minister Lubomir Jahnatek promised to publish them by June 30, 2010. "Until this day, no alternative routes have been published, therefore we came to ask to the Ministry if those alternative plans exist or not," said Dragun.
He pondered what the Ministry and the oil-pipeline operator Transpetrol have been doing until now. "Why did Mr. Minister promise to publish those alternative route plans by June 30 when he knew it is going to be after the (parliamentary) elections (June 12)?" "Again it has been confirmed that Mr. Jahnatek lied in connection with the oil pipeline and he was hoodwinking the public. It has also been confirmed that this – thank God, leaving - government has ignored the will of approximately 40,000 people, who have signed the 'No to the Pipeline through Zitny Ostrov' petition," stated Dragun.
He said that the association now plans to wait for the new government, and plans on holding talks with the new economy and construction minister (believed to be Juraj Miskov) as well with the representatives of the soon-to-be-resuscitated environment ministry. Dragun said they want to see some real measures from the new government.
Jahnatek on Wednesday reasoned the lack of the alternative routes with the fact that the Ministry did not receive them from Transpetrol. "We don't know why it's been delayed," he said after the final government session.
"We have set forth the possible theoretic alternatives of the oil pipeline and the Economy and Construction Minister has been continuously informed about them. The definitive shape of the proposal has really not taken shape yet. Due to the thorniness of the issue, we have so far failed to find the needed agreement needed to prepare a basic report. It will also deal with the Environmental Impact Assessment (the so-called EIA) of such an extensive project, which will - in the end - decide as to its viability," Transpetrol's Investment and Development Director Sergej Zapotocky has told TASR.
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