There are no official statistics on illegal construction in Slovakia but over the past few years several dozen construction projects that were started illegally were later made legal, the Sme newspaper wrote in its April 17 issue.
The government of Prime Minister Robert Fico and his Smer party hope to achieve its pre-election stance against illegal construction but it is not clear whether this will mean a complete halt in post-construction legalisation of those that were started illegally.
Smer said it plans to tighten punishments for illegal construction, adding that only in Bratislava have dozens of illegal constructions mushroomed which were later made legal.
Martin Kóňa, spokesman of the Transport Ministry stated that the government wants to introduce new laws on this issue as early as this year. Sme wrote that there are rumours that the issue of illegal construction might be shifted to the Interior Ministry.
Sme wrote that during the tenure of PM Iveta Radičová punishments and fines for illegal construction had been toughened but Banská Bystrica mayor Peter Gogola told the daily that his municipality is battling against illegal construction and the current law is toothless.
Source: Sme
Compiled by Zuzana Vilikovská from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.
