Stohlova: PS Promotes Efficient Bear Management, Not Public Endangerment

Bratislava, April 8 (TASR) - Progressive Slovakia (PS) promotes an efficient management of the brown bear population that won't endanger public health, and will submit a bill to that effect to a parliamentary session in June, MP Tamara Stohlova (PS) announced on Monday. Progressive Slovakia concurs with KDH that the constitutional amendment sponsored by Environment Minister Tomas Taraba (SNS nominee) is an "out-of-proportion response that poses danger to the people". "It is an attempt by the coalition to shift the blame to the opposition, seeing as their complete incompetence to address the problem has been laid bare," commented Stohl. [the coalition doesn't command enough votes to pass a constitutional amendment -ed.note] In Stohlova's view, the shooting of bears has no place in the Slovak Constitution. Stohlova added that Slovakia already has tools such as specialised strike teams to address encounters with bears, but it needs to bolster them at the level of national parks. The lawmaker warned that the solution proposed by the coalition - to enable the shooting of any bear inside 500-metre perimeter around towns and villages - is dangerous. "In practice 500 metres around a village means that a broad spectrum of people would be allowed to shoot firearms in an effort to hit a bear. This isn't such a simple thing," she said. mf/mcs