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Nagy Files Complaint Against Representatives of Interblue Group
Tuesday 21 December 2010 Zoom in | Print page
Bratislava, December 21 (TASR) - Environment Minister Jozsef Nagy (Most-Hid) on Tuesday filed a criminal complaint against representatives of the shady US-based Interblue Group over suspicions of committing a fraud.
In 2008, the Interblue Group bought 15 million tonnes of Slovakia's emission quotas for €75 million, at a rate of €5.05 per tonne. The then Opposition claimed that this sum was about half what it should have been. As well, an extra euro per tonne should have been paid by the company for green projects but wasn't. Interblue manager Jana Luetken says that the projects weren't well defined, and that the company won't pay an outstanding amount of €15 million to Slovakia.
"We're filing the criminal complaint for dishonouring the €15 million to the Environment Ministry," Nagy told journalists, describing Interblue's aforementioned reasoning as specious.
"A proceeding against an unknown offender for the disadvantageous sale of emission quotas is currently taking place, but we think, given that the case has been dragging for one and a half years, it will be very difficult to prove its inexpedience for the state - as the sales don't take place at a bourse but via negotiations," said Nagy. A further complication is that the company ceased to exist in the meantime, while a similar company - Interblue Group Europe - based in Switzerland claims to be its legal successor.
When asked whether he expects to see the €15 million paid by Interblue, Nagy responded negatively, however. "But we can't let it go, as this may become a precedent that would motivate others to avoid even minimal commitments," said Nagy.
Nagy further reported that environment ministers of the Visegrad Four countries (Slovakia, Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland) in Brussels last week agreed on coordinating emission quota sales and to exchange information about buyers.
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