The route of the Bratislava-Schwechat oil pipeline will not go through Žitný ostrov, an area containing Slovakia’s largest reserves of drinking water, Economy and Construction Minister Juraj Miškov (a nominee of the Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) party) said on Tuesday, August 24.
“A clear ‘no’ to the route of the oil pipeline going through Žitný ostrov is not only embedded in the election programme of SaS, but also in the Government Manifesto. This means that for me, in the position of economy and construction minister, I can guarantee that the route of the oil pipeline won’t go through Žitný ostrov,” Miškov said, as reported by the TASR newswire, after meeting with representatives of civic association ‘No to the Pipeline Through Žitný Ostrov’.
Association chairman Miroslav Dragún confirmed the statement, and the fact that the association had been informed by the minister. “He [Miškov] submitted clear facts to us ... the route will not lead through Žitný ostrov. He has our full confidence, but the oil-transport company Transpetrol does not,” said Dragún. Miškov also said that currently there are four alternative routes for the pipeline to Austria.
Source: TASR
Compiled by Zuzana Vilikovská from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.
