PARLIAMENT has amended Slovakia’s Environmental Act in response to calls by the European Commission, which had threatened to cut the country off from EU funds worth €12 billion.
At the same time, the Sme daily wrote, MPs hastily approved some other amendments that mean people will not have to be informed about permission granted for construction of a nuclear power plant close to their homes.
Sme also wrote that this amendment allows information to be kept secret about how radioactive waste is treated or transported.
According to the VIA IURIS – Center for Public Advocacy, the new act allows concealing information about nuclear facilities.
Peter Wilfling, a lawyer who cooperates with VIA IURIS, told Sme that the act is contrary to the Slovak Constitution and EU regulations.
Opposition MPs and NGOs have called the new law unconstitutional and a political analyst said that the nuclear lobby is so strong that it influenced even some members of the opposition, Sme wrote.
According to Sme, VIA IURIS stated that publishing information about nuclear power plants only on the government cabinet’s bulletin board, hundreds of kilometres away from potentially concerned citizens, is unheard of.
