THE PARLIAMENT passed the constitutional ban on exporting water at its October 21 session. The change was supported by 102 MPs together, the TASR newswire reported.
The fourth article of the constitution which pertains to raw natural resources will now contain a new paragraph reading that “the transport of water taken from water formations situated on Slovakia’s territory across the borders through means of transport or pipelines is banned; the ban does not apply to water for personal consumption, bottled drinking water and bottled mineral water in Slovakia and provision of humanitarian aid and aid in an emergency situation”, as reported by TASR.
The current version of the amendment is a result of the compromise agreement between ruling Smer and the opposition, the SITA newswire wrote.
Smer party introduced the constitutional amendment after the original draft amendment to the law on water had been slammed by both the opposition and the public. Environment Minister Peter Žiga was said to be trying to privatise water resources. He denied the claim, which was to be proved by the ambition to add the ban on water exports into the constitution.
The parliament also passed an amending proposal submitted by Ľudovít Kaník of the Slovak Democratic and Christian Union (SDKÚ) that concerned better protection of Slovakia’s mineral resources, TASR wrote.
Source: TASR, SITA
Compiled by Radka Minarechová from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.
