Continuing illegal construction of a waste depot
3.4.2014
Question for written answer E-004186-14
to the Commission
Rule 117
Slavi Binev (EFD)
Concerning the project to construct a waste disposal facility in the immediate vicinity of the village of Banya in Bulgaria, in respect of which I have already reported numerous irregularities, I wish to point out that local residents are shocked that preparations are being made to start work on the project without a definitive ruling being issued by the courts and without the matter being thoroughly investigated on account of our suspicions that Commissioner Potočnik was misled by the Bulgarian Government on this matter and given incomplete/incorrect information.
I would urge the Commission to request that the start of the project be suspended until this matter has been fully clarified. If the project is not stopped in time, a centuries‐old forest will be destroyed, a river that provides drinking water for population centres in Bulgaria and Greece will be polluted and many other forms of irreparable damage will be occasioned. The consequences of stopping the project are nothing in comparison to this. Unfortunately, neither Minister Mihailova nor Commissioner Potočnik have responded to my request to compare the information provided to the Commission with the actual situation. Although I expected this from Minister Mihailova, I am astonished that Commissioner Potočnik has done nothing.
Can the Commission state:
- 1.whether the EU institutions will stop, albeit only temporarily, a project that is totally unbeneficial and harmful to man and the environment;
- 2.when the issue will be clarified of whether the Commission was misled by the Bulgarian Government in order to secure its approval of the project?
OJ C 375, 22/10/2014