Kratky: Environment Minister Taraba Not Fan of Environmental Protection

Bratislava 24. júna (TASR) - Environment Minister Tomas Taraba (nominated by SNS) has strayed from what should be his primary goal - the protection of the environment - and is a minister of megalomaniac plans and disastrous personnel policy, opposition MP Rastislav Kratky ('Slovakia'-For the People-KU) stated in response to Prime Minister Robert Fico's (Smer-SD) inspection visit to the Environment Ministry on Tuesday. „Upon reclaiming power, Robert Fico punished all of Slovakia by entrusting the Ministry of the Environment to the Slovak National Party (SNS)," noted MP Julius Jakab (Slovakia-For the People-KU). He pointed out that the minister and the prime minister present cherry-picked facts and figures without context. In addition - due to Taraba's incompetence - Slovakia lost €300 million from the recovery plan intended for decarbonisation, the MP claimed. According to Jakab, the statement that Taraba has no scandals is a lie. Jakab pointed to Taraba's neighbour, a lawyer, who has obtained contracts from the ministry worth €600,000. The minister also carried out a personnel purge, as part of which he replaced experts with party nominees. „In the case of the project in Malinec, he proceeded without public discussion, ignored concerns about groundwater protection, and interfered with private property," he added. In Kratky's view, the minister is building what Kratky called "political monuments" out of megalomaniac projects that serve Taraba's own career but harm the people of Slovakia. „His enthusiasm for grand gestures does not benefit the people, but himself," he noted. Kratky added that Taraba is in conflict with the expert public, as shown by an open letter from specialists warning that the ministry under his leadership is heading in the wrong direction. The MP pointed to the “Renovate Your Home” program. The problem is that people who completed their projects in September or October 2024 still have not received their money. „Our government used EU funds, set up this program, and actually helped people. Today, Taraba is taking credit for others’ work and misleading the public by claiming that he is the one disbursing the funds," Kratky remarked. He called on the minister to disclose how many projects were contracted during his term and why citizens are still waiting for their payments. mf/mcs