The Slovak cabinet on Wednesday, July 21, approved a proposal by Prime Minister Iveta Radičová to re-establish the Environment Ministry as an independent department. The ministry was cancelled and its functions transferred to other departments earlier this month as part of a reorganisation approved in January by the previous government.
The ministry should resume independent operation as of September 1, the SITA newswire wrote. Parliament is to debate the proposal using an expedited legislative procedure. Radičová stated in a report accompanying the proposal that establishing an independent central body for the environment is highly important, especially in order to handle the negative impacts of the extreme flooding which has so far caused damage amounting to nearly €700 million this year.
Source: SITA
Compiled by Zuzana Vilikovská from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.
