PS: Taraba Plans to Drill on People's Land without Warning Them

Bratislava, 26 March (TASR) - Environment Minister Tomas Taraba (a Slovak National Party/SNS nominee) plans to drill on people's private land in connection with the Malinec-Latky pumped-storage hydro-power plant without informing them first, vice-chair of the House committee on agriculture and the environment Tamara Stohlova (PS) stated on Thursday. Stohlova stated that local residents will learn about the planned drilling from a professional journal for water managers. "Drilling is supposed to start as early as next week, so they don't even have a proper chance to voice their opposition," she emphasised, pointing out that Taraba is defending the drilling by saying it's intended to determine whether this project makes sense. "That's exactly what he should have demonstrated before the government approved €60 million for preparatory work," she said. The MP also objects to the fact that she hasn't yet seen a feasibility study or evidence that the project is in the public interest. Furthermore, she believes that the construction work will threaten a strategic source of drinking water for people in the area. State-run water management construction company Vodohospodarska vystavba (VV) said in early March that, in connection with the Malinec-Latky hydropower plant investment project, it's preparing technical studies and conducting geological and technical surveys of the area. "Exploratory drilling will be conducted exclusively for the needs of the hydro-electric power plant project. It will be limited to the absolute minimum and technically secured in such a way as to preclude any other use," it stated, adding that the drilling has been designed not to pose a risk to groundwater or the stability of the area. am/df