D4R7 Construction Rejects Both Accusations and Environmental Damage

Bratislava, June 1 (TASR) - D4R7 Construction, the main constructor of the D4/R7 motorway bypass around Bratislava, denies charges brought by the police, claiming that the extraction of gravel near Dunajska Luzna in Janosikova locality (Bratislava region) did not cause any damage to the environment, the company said in a statement provided to TASR on Monday. D4R7 Construction considers the measures taken by the police to be disproportionate and degrading. At the same time, the firm specified that in the case of gravel mining, the police brought charges against one current and one former managing director, one employee as well as the company itself. D4R7 Construction claims that it has entered into valid lease contracts with owners of the relevant land specifically for the purpose of gravel extraction. "Therefore, no damage could have been caused to the owners of the affected land. They were paid an agreed fee for the use of their land and they do not even make any claims against the company," said the firm. The necessary permits for the extraction of gravel from the affected plots of land were allegedly obtained by a Slovak company hired by D4R7 Construction. The police claim that the gravel mining was illegal but D4R7 Construction denies any responsibility for alleged errors in the permitting process. "We have provided several expert opinions which, using scientific methods, prove that the extraction of gravel in the Janosikova locality did not cause any damage to the environment," said D4R7 Construction. The police on Saturday (May 30) pressed charges of harming and endangering the environment against two senior managers of D4R7 Construction. The two men, a German citizen identified only by the initials M.H., and an unidentified Spanish citizen, have allegedly caused environmental damage amounting to €12.5 million. According to the police, the said crime concerns the illegal mining of material designated for construction of the motorway bypass. The police explained that the damaged area is located in Zitny Ostrov, Slovakia's biggest drinking-water reservoir. While the estimated damage stands at €12.5 million, the police have already confiscated €12.2 million as well as immovable property located in Slovakia for compensation purposes. It has been suspected for some time that contaminated materials and waste from illegal dumps have been used to build earthworks on the construction site. am/mcs