A CALL ON THE PRIME MINISTER OF SLOVAKIA ROBERT FICO
20/03/2014 21:46
STOP URANIUM 2014
A CALL ON THE PRIME MINISTER OF SLOVAKIA ROBERT FICO
Health and environment of citizens of the Slovak Republic are endangered by uranium mining.
A friendly attitude of the state towards the mining has been expressed in the form of the memorandum, which was signed - without the topic being discussed in the government first - with the European Uranium Resources company by the minister of economy of your government.
Memorandum can possibly create commitments for the state and the ministry is already reflecting the commitmens into their positions in different administrative procedures (see e.g. the attitudes of the ministry to the zoning plans of the city of Košice and the Košice Self-governing Region).
Another fact demonstrating a friendly attitude of the state towards the mining is the renewal of the uranium exploration licence by the minister of environment of your government, which, too, brings the threat of uranium mining in Košice closer.
More than 110 000 citizens of Slovakia have signed the largest-ever environmental petition "Stop uranium" https://www.nrsr.sk/web/Dynamic/Download.aspx?DocID=341040 that should have resulted into a law establishing either a ban or a moratiorium on uranium mining. Unfortunately, the laws proposing the ban and the moratorium, respectively, were not approved by the National Council of the Slovak Republic in 2009 - the MPs only registered the petition and then in 2010 by another law strenghtened the competences of municipalities in the matter. Doing so, the MPs have left mining companies at hope that in future they might be able to push the mining forward despite huge opposition of the general public.
Dear prime minister, we are asking you:
1. To make sure that the Ministry of economy withdraws from the "Memorandum of understanding and cooperation in energetic sector between the Ministry of Economy of the Slovak Republic and European Uranium Resources" in accordance with the resolutions approved by the Košice City Council and the Košice Region Council.
2. To propose anew a law banning uranium mining (or establishing a moratorium on uranium mining) in the whole territory of Slovakia.
In Košice, on 20 March 2014
Slovak Society for Protection of Nature and Countryside - branch Košice 2013
Friends Of The Earth Slovakia
Sosna Association
_______________________________________________________________________________
Dear prime minister,
during your visit to Košice on 23 February 2014 you have received from the activists of the Slovak society for protection of nature and countryside (SZOPK) a sheet of the "Uranium president?" survey. The survey is dedicated to all presidential candidates, its aim being to find out their clear opinion on uranium mining in Slovakia and to gain from them a written public promise confirmed by their signature that shall become their moral commitment towards citizens that in case they got elected for president, they would work towards establishing a moratorium on uranium mining and processing in Košice and in Slovakia or, alternatively, to admit that they could under some circumstances agree to uranium mining and processing in Slovakia. Your opponent in the 2nd round of the presidential elections Andrej Kiska has already given his promise to the citizens that in case he gets elected for president he shall work towards establishing a moratorium on uranium mining and processing: https://uran-kosice.webnode.sk/news/kandidatska-anketa-uranovy-prezident-/
Unlike Mr. Kiska, you as the acting prime minister and as the chairman of the party with a majority in the parliament have an opportunity to act immediately and to impose a long-term moratorium on uranium mining and processing in Slovakia by approving a corresponding law in the National Council!
At the meeting with journalists in Košice you have among other things said that "Nobody is interested in supporting activities that could harm people's interests". The reality is different, though - uranium mining and processing remains a threat not only in Košice but also in other parts of Slovakia (e.g. Kálnica, Selec, Tokay wine-growing area). We would like to ask you to take advantage of all the power that you possess as a result of your political functions to enforce a law banning uranium mining and processing or imposing a long-term moratorium on these activities therefore we are sending you a joint-call of three civil associations, namely the Slovak Society for Protection of Nature and Countryside - branch Košice 2013, the Friends Of The Earth Slovakia and Sosna.
Dear prime minister,
please do not wait - act immediately and make sure that the afore mentioned requirements are met, i.e. that the Ministry of economy withdraws from the Memorandum and that laws banning (or imposing a long-term moratorium on) uranium mining and processing are approved!
JUDr. Mgr. Ladislav Rovinský
Slovak Society for Protection of Nature and Countryside - branch Košice 2013
Pokroku 7
040 11 Košice
+421 905 384171
spolok.kosice@gmail.com
www.uran-kosice.webnode.sk
Sent to: podatelna@vlada.gov.sk, info@vlada.gov.sk, premier@vlada.gov.sk, minister@enviro.gov.sk,kancelaria.ministra@enviro.gov.sk, marta.dubovska@mhsr.sk lucia.verchovodkova@mhsr.sk and selected media.
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