By: Ž. N. (Nova24TV)
For the last few hundred meters of the controversial C0 canal in the Stožice area, the City Municipality of Ljubljana (MOL) has decided to apply for a construction permit. They did this a few weeks ago. However, controversy continues due to the decision made by the Ministry of Climate and Energy, which determined that a comprehensive environmental impact assessment is required for the construction of canal C0. MOL interprets the ministry’s decision in its own way and has not taken any action in that regard.
Slovenian legislation prevented landowners from lodging appeals against decisions made by the Environmental Agency of the Republic of Slovenia (ARSO) for six years. Klemen Golob, a lawyer representing landowners along the C0 canal route, told Televizija Slovenija that it was a long road, but with the assistance of the Supreme Court of the Republic of Slovenia, they managed to file only two appeals last year. However, both were dismissed because it was argued that there was no legal interest.
Regarding appeals against ARSO’s decisions from 2015 and 2016, the Ministry insists that it was decided three years ago that an environmental impact assessment was needed, and that it concerns the same matter. The authority for consent was transferred to the Ministry during the time when Andrej Vizjak was in charge. The municipality was tasked with preparing an environmental impact assessment study due to its desire for added safety, reportedly wanting to add concrete blocks.
They will wait for the court’s decision, but they have already installed the concrete blocks
“However, since there has been no mention of the concrete blocks in these two years, the only logical explanation is that the environmental impact assessment was required for the entire project,” landowners interpret the situation. As Golob explained to the television, in his opinion, a piece of concrete cannot be as environmentally controversial as the canal. Ljubljana Mayor Zoran Janković, it seems, believes that others do not know how to read the decisions. In September, he said they had turned to the court to challenge it. “We will wait for the court’s decision,” the mayor announced. Nevertheless, it was possible to see that the concrete blocks had already been installed on the construction site.
“That the decisions of the ministry concern only the concrete blocks, they claim in their written responses on both ministries, despite the contradictory decisions,” reports RTV and mentions that the landowners have already decided to appeal to the Administrative Court of the Republic of Slovenia. “According to this decision, these two resolutions need to be taken off the table,” lawyer Golob stated. Meanwhile, Mayor Janković emphasises that “no one can change the legally binding building permit”.
Environmentalists, as well as the opposition within the Municipality of Ljubljana, wish for the administrative unit to annul the building permit, and the Water Directorate the water consent. Former Minister for the Environment, Miha Jazbinšek, stated that the annulment was filed a month and a half ago. In the case that the institutions do not respond within a reasonable time, he predicts a criminal report. For now, a few hundred meters of the sewage canal are still missing in Stožice. In September, the municipality applied for the issuance of a building permit, attaching a decision from the Environmental Agency from 2015, even though it is well known that Arso later changed its decision. It seems that the Municipality of Ljubljana decided to simply ignore this fact. Jazbinšek advocates the belief that the permit will not be issued. “Otherwise, it is impossible. The nullity of the water consent from 2013 means that the whole project will fail,” he said.
Since Janković has been insisting all along that they have all the building permits yet still asked for a building permit for part of the canal a few weeks ago, Ljubljana city councillor Aleš Primc, who has been strongly opposing the canal construction across the water protection area, calls for participation in the rally scheduled for Monday, October 23rd. “Janković has been insisting all along that he has all the building permits for a dangerous and illegal sewage pipe! Come to the rally on 23rd October at 14:30 in front of the City Hall!” he urged.