Ministry: We're Assessing Surany Battery Plant via EIA; Not Approving Building

Bratislava, 19 February (TASR) - The Environment Ministry has responded to a call by the opposition Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) party by emphasising that its role in relation to the planned electric car battery plant in Surany (Nitra region) is to assess the anticipated environmental impact as part of the EIA process, while pointing to the extent of its powers regarding the project. "Under no circumstances is the Environment Ministry a building authority, and it doesn't approve construction," said the ministry in response to statements by SaS, which called on the ministry to take into account the experience of Hungary when assessing the project. The ministry declared that it's proceeding in accordance with applicable laws that guarantee the public's right to express its opinion during the EIA process. According to the Environment Ministry, the investor is currently preparing an assessment report, which will be a key document and will undergo a thorough assessment of its impact on the environment and public health. The Environment Ministry went on to say that the investor is supplementing the EIA documentation on the initiative of Vice-premier and Environment Minister Tomas Taraba (a Slovak National Party/SNS nominee). The ministry described the originally submitted documentation as unprofessional and incomplete. am/df