The planned construction of an oil pipeline set to be built between Bratislava and Schwechat, Austria might change the Land Use Plan of Bratislava’s Petržalka district, Petržalka Mayor Milan Ftáčnik informed journalists at a press conference on March 17.
The original draft requires part of the oil pipeline’s construction to take place in what are now environmentally protected areas. Thus Ftáčnik intends to meet with Bratislava City Mayor Andrej Ďurkovský for further discussions. Ftáčnik told the TASR newswire that his own decision is the product of his meeting with representatives of the 'Nie Ropovodu cez Žitný Ostrov' (No to the oil pipeline through Žitný Ostrov) civic association.
In the current urban plan, the oil pipeline is supposed to go through protected areas. However, no protected areas existed in the vicinity when the original plan was drawn up a decade ago, hence it does not take them into account.
"These days, it's clear that the area in question is protected by law, so the pipeline shouldn't be included in the urban plan," said Ftáčnik. According to the activists, an aquifer beneath Žitný Ostrov represents the biggest source of drinking water in central Europe. They have so far gathered 25,000 signatures for a petition protesting against the planned pipeline route. They say its purpose is to draw public attention to the fact that construction work in Žitný Ostrov might threaten public health. They are promoting a different path for the pipeline, one that leads around Bratislava via the Small Carpathians.
Compiled by Zuzana Vilikovská from press reports
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