PS Criticises Allocation of EU Funds for Water-retention Measures

Bratislava, 2 February (TASR) - At a press conference on Monday, opposition Progressive Slovakia (PS) MPs Michal Simecka and Tamara Stohlova criticised the allocation of EU funds for water retention measures by the Environment Ministry. According to the party representatives, approximately three-quarters of the total amount is to be sent to large businesses for a lake on a golf course, ski-resort reservoirs and similar projects. They called on Minister Tomas Taraba (a Slovak National Party/SNS nominee) not to send the money. "Taraba wants to spend €5.4 million on constructing two concrete water reservoirs at the Bachledka ski resort near the village of Zdiar [Presov region]. To give you an idea of this, they will be truly enormous concrete basins, huge reservoirs with a capacity of around 9.5 Olympic swimming pools and four Olympic swimming pools. And now hold on to your hats - this carefully selected successful water-retention measure is supposed to help 97 people," said Stohlova about one of the projects. Simecka pointed out that the Environment Ministry will thereby support wealthy people at the expense of ordinary citizens. According to him, towns and municipalities could use the money from the subsidy call to protect people from the effects of the climate crisis. am/df