Taraba: No Wind Farm in Slovakia Without Local Approval

Bratislava, 7 November (TASR) – No building of any wind farm in Slovakia will be allowed without the consent of the town or municipality concerned, Environment Minister Tomas Taraba (Slovak National Party nominee) emphasized at a press conference on Friday, in response to a question about a planned wind farm between Stupava and Lozorno in the Bratislava region. Taraba underlined that a universal condition applies to this and other wind farm projects. “Mayors will have to express their views. The Environment Ministry is not the construction authority – that role belongs to towns and municipalities. Therefore, developers must face the citizens and ask them whether they want the project or not,” he said, referring to the new wording of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Act, which introduces a mandatory condition of residents' consent for the construction of a wind farm. “We have made the permitting process even stricter by requiring not only the municipality in whose land registry area the wind park is to be built to give its opinion, but also all affected municipalities,” Taraba accentuated. The minister admitted that this position has led to a dispute with the European Commission, which he said is pushing for massive development of wind farms in Slovakia and for the most flexible possible approval procedures. “There is no power that can force minister Taraba to take away towns' and municipalities' right to express their views,” he declared. Taraba also noted that the Environment Ministry will require investors in wind farm projects to present a clear plan for handling technologies and structures after the end of their service life. A proposal for a wind farm near the D2 motorway between Stupava and the village of Zohor was submitted this week for environmental impact assessment. The plan includes 11 wind turbines. The town of Stupava has been discussing the proposal with residents since the summer and has also established a “Wind Mailbox” to answer questions related to the project. The local authorities have stated that the city's final position will depend on the opinion of its residents. mf