Failures by Member States in dealing with pollution of the River Slaná

Question for written answer  E-002777/2022
to the Commission
Rule 138
Loránt Vincze (PPE), Edina Tóth (NI)

According to the Commission’s answer (P-002118/2022(ASW)), if any environmental damage in the sense of the Environmental Liability Directive exists, the Member State must define remedying measures. Although the national authorities have adopted some measures, the pollution has not stopped completely, so the assessment of environmental damage is not exhaustive and revitalisation cannot even start[1].

Is the Commission aware that the river started to be polluted in February, and that the authorities watched the affected stretch of the Slaná, including the Natura 2000 areas, being destroyed for several months without doing anything, thereby exacerbating the severity of the situation and the level of damage?

Could the further spread and worsening of the accident have been avoided if the national authorities had taken immediate steps under the Directive to assess and minimise or stem the damage?

What stage has the Commission reached in the assessment process, and is it taking the importance of the time factor into consideration when assessing the measures? In other words, can it influence the national authorities and, if so, how can it do so to ensure that the national authorities take the necessary further steps without delay?

• [1] https://www.bumm.sk/regio/2022/07/18/akkor-revitalizaljak-a-sajot-ha-a-szennyezes-teljes-megszuntetese-utan