Slovakia may face a fine from the European Commission for not meeting limits for the reduction of dangerous pollutants in the air. "The European Commission called on Slovakia to adopt measures for reduction of PM-10 emissions in the air," Michal Cákoci of the Environment Ministry told the SITA newswire.
Slovakia has only received a motion on the launching the infringement proceedings by Brussels but has not been fined. The Environment Ministry is trying to avoid the fine and sent the European Commission its position.
Environment Minister József Nagy also discussed the air pollution issue with his Czech counterpart Tomáš Chalupa, Hungary's Minister of Rural Development Sándor Fazekas and State Secretary of Polish Ministry of Environment Janusz Zaleski at a two-day meeting of environment ministries of V4 countries which ended on March 8.
They V4 ministers agreed on a common approach in assessment of cross-border air pollution and want to cooperate in obtaining comprehensive information. Nagy said after the meeting that 21 EU member states, including Sweden, Germany, France, Italy and Austria, have problems with air pollution and limits for dust particles in the air. They violate limits for environment protection because of transport but also because of households' biomass heating systems, he said.
Source: SITA
Compiled by Zuzana Vilikovská from press reports
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