press release |
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2003
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CZECH NATIONAL PROPERTY FUND AND ENVIRONMENT MINISTRY
BLUFFED
WHEN HANDING OUT 100 MILLION EURO DECONTAMINATION OF SPOLANA
Technology chosen by the UN and World Bank “does not exist” according
to Czech offices
Praha,
4 June 2003 -- Czech Environment Minister Libor Ambrozek and the
director of
the environmental section of the Czech National Property Fund (FNM)
Jaroslav Vitek
used false arguments when commissioning the multi- billion Crown (100
million Euro)
dioxin decontamination at the chemical plant Spolana, 25 km North of
Prague, without
public tender (1). The Property Fund and the Environment Ministry stressed
that they
had chosen the firm SITA Bohemia because it had the only possibly technology
at its
disposal. Greenpeace received documentation that confirms that the Global
Environmental Facility (GEF) of the Worldbank together with the Slovak
Government,
the Industrial Development Agency of the United Nations (UNIDO) and
the United
Nations Development Programme (UNDP) will use another, competing technology
for
the decontamination of the Slovak chemical facility CHEMKO Strazske
(2).
“The Slovak
government, the World Bank, UNIDO and UNDP confirmed with their
decision that Minister Ambrozek and director Vitek misled the public
with their
arguments, with which they legitimated a billion Crown closed commissioning
to SITA
Bohemia. We will therefore in the coming days send a supplement to our
criminal
charges to the police and a reminder to the Anti-Monopoly Office,” explained
Greenpeace toxic expert in the Czech Republic, Dr. Miroslav Suta.
Greenpeace warns
already for more than a year that the secrecy used by National
Property Fund concerning information around legacy contamination and
tender
processes for decontamination opens the door for corruption. Greenpeace
stepped up
its warnings from a complaint to the National Property Fund on improper
use of
confidentiality (3), over a complaint to the Anti-Monopoly Office for
breach of fair
competition (4), and finally a criminal complaint for improper management
of foreign
property (5).
“The government
will have to end its praxis of commissioning huge public investments
without an open tender process still before our access into the European
Union,”
commented Greenpeace campaign director in the Czech Republic, Jan Haverkamp.
Already
for a long time, Greenpeace demands that Spolana secures the contaminated
sites against leakage of toxic substances into the environment, and
that it decontaminates these areas and buildings safely. During the
floods in August 2002, the Elbe River flooded the complete Spolana factory
and the company had to admit that thousands of tons of chemical substances
had washed into the environment. Greenpeace found around Spolana high
concentrations of dioxins that exceeded EU norms several times
FURTHER
INFORMATION:
Dr.
Miroslav Suta, (Czech, English) Greenpeace toxic expert, mobile:
+420.603 443 140, tel.: +420.224 319 667, +420.233 332 289, e-mail:
miroslav.suta@cz.greenpeace.org
Internet:
http://www.greenpeace.cz/agentorange/index_en.htm
NOTES
FOR THE EDITOR:
(1)
Jaroslav Vítek, director of the environmental department of the Czech
National Property Fund: “The only reliable technology, reliable in praxis,
is BCD.” (Source: BBC Czech programme, Dobre rano s BBC, 17 October
2002)
Libor Ambrozek,
Czech Minister of the Environment (Christian Democrats): “...on the
basis of all kinds of opinions and recommendations this technology appears
to be the
only possible and available...” (Source: letter from the Minister to
vice-president of the
Czech National Property Fund on 8. 10. 2002, reference number M/2814/2002)
“... it appeared
that other technologies are only in a laboratory phase, which means
that they are from that perspective not reliable and are not appropriate
for inhabited
areas...” (Ceska televize, Spona, 7 December 2002)
(2) The Global
Environmental Facility (GEF) of the World Bank decided to support the
project for decontamination of toxic substances in the CHEMKO Strazske
factory with
the use of a non-incineration destruction technique called GPCR for
the sum of 10
million US Dollars. The total costs of the decontamination are estimated
on more than
20 million USD. The rest of the budget will be financed by the Slovak
state, private
capital, UN programmes (UNDP and UNIDO) and non-governmental organisations.
(3)
The Czech National Property Fund has information on the contamination
of Spolana at its disposition since 1992 and signed in 1994 a contract
with Spolana on financing of clean-up operations. The Property Fund
refused Greenpeace access to information on these contracts and the
tender procedures concerning dioxin contamination on the grounds, that
none of the laws on access to information is valid for the Fund. Greenpeace
therefore filed a complaint for breach of these laws by the Fund at
the Town Court in Prague. More information in the Greenpeace Press Release
of 2 April and 16 September 2002. (http://www.greenpeace.cz/release/en/020402en.htm,
http://www.greenpeace.cz/release/02/020916en.htm)
(4)
Greenpeace Press Release of 4 November 2002: “Greenpeace: Decision of
the National Property Fund concerning Spolana's dioxin decontamination
has to be reviewed by the Anti-Monopoly Office” (http://www.greenpeace.cz/release/02/021104en.htm)
(5)
On 7 November 2002 Greenpeace filed a criminal complaint at the High
State Prosecutor in Prague on the grounds of commissioning the dioxin
decontamination at Spolana without public tender to SITA Bohemia. According
to Greenpeace, this constitutes a breach of responsibilities in the
management of foreign property as laid down in paragraph 255 of the
criminal code. See further: Greenpeace Press Release of 7 November 2002:
“Greenpeace: possible fraudulent commissioning of Czech dioxin decontamination
under police investigation” (http://www.greenpeace.cz/release/02/021107en.htm)
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