Polluters of the environment will have to pay more into the budget designated for environmental protection, Environment Minister Jaroslav Izák said.
The Slovak Environment Ministry will pursue a "polluter pays" principle in legislation in order to find more finances for the environmental protection sector.
The level of responsibility of polluters must increase. I believe that we'll be able to prepare changes in legislation in a short period of time, said Izák.
An act on environmental responsibility is already in preparation and assumes increased state financing for the sector.
In a preliminary proposal for the 2007 state budget, some Sk2 billion (€52.6 million) have been allocated for such expenditure, though this amount is Sk2.5 billion less than is required.
Among the new minister's priorities are finding a solution to "old environmental burdens" such as waste dumps and water contamination, the newswire TASR wrote. The ministry wants to concentrate more on recycling, securing good quality drinking water and improving the public sewage system and sewage-water treatment plants.
Flood protection, which according to Izák has been inadequately funded in the past, should be strengthened.
Compiled by Martina Jurinová from press reports
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