By: Domen Mezeg (Nova24tv.si)
Minister Brežan was apparently not convinced by the environmental risks accompanying the controversial C0 channel. Today, he said that the sewerage system C0 “brings more benefits than risks”? As he said, the project started already in 2014 and has all building permits. Recently, however, former Minister Hojs emphasised that the project does not have a comprehensive environmental impact assessment. However, we agree that the case brings a lot of benefits for Janković’s wallet, which Hojs also talked about in detail…
The Minister of Natural Resources and Space, Uroš Brežan, is convinced that the controversial construction project of the C0 sewerage channel, which could potentially contaminate the groundwater for almost the whole of Ljubljana, can continue. The Green party of Slovenia reported suspicion of environmental crime to the police and the specialised state prosecutor’s office, which is actually the illegal construction of this channel. Minister Brežan believes that the disputed project brings more benefits than risks. Brežan: “The project started already there in 2014, when valid building permits were obtained. The project was registered in Brussels as part of the Slovenian cohesion policy, was approved by the European Commission and has valid building permits,” reported Siol.
The Green party of Slovenia demand that the project be suspended immediately until it is reviewed by the authorities. They also emphasised that there is a suspicion of a violation of human rights. Green party: “Drinking water sources for cities with more than 100,000 inhabitants belong to critical infrastructure, which means that all direct risks of drinking water pollution must be eliminated.” The same is imposed by the European directive adopted in January, which refers to the resilience of critical entities. The Green party is convinced that the construction of this type of channel is not in line with the directive. At the same time, they highlighted the seismic risk of the area. According to them, it is an “environmental crime of the broadest importance” and points to the suspicion of a violation of human rights.
Illegal encroachment on other people’s property has been proven, and farmers do not have access to their fields and cannot carry out necessary spring work. They demand that the construction of the project be stopped immediately, until the police and the prosecutor’s office have fully reviewed the matter, including all procedures, permits and consents. Also, the police and the prosecutor’s office should familiarise themselves with “the first findings of the company Jaspers, which reviewed the project from the perspective of European funds and requested a comprehensive assessment, but there was none because the Ministry allegedly gave a guarantee of funding and Jaspers abandoned its insistence,” the Green party of Slovenia also wrote.