BRATISLAVA, August 11, (WEBNOVINY) — The new Slovak Parliament started its fourth session on Wednesday, deciding that the Environment Ministry will resume its operation as an independent government department as of September 1, 2010. This stems from an amendment to the competence law, which the Parliament approved on Wednesday. Before the end of the term of the previous government, the Environment Ministry was scrapped on the initiative of former Prime Minister Robert Fico (SMER-SD). Its duties were shifted to the Agriculture Ministry as of July 1, and the ministry was renamed to the Ministry of Agriculture, Environment and Regional Development. In spite of the formal cancellation of the Environment Ministry, nothing but the name of the ministry changed. All employees remained on their posts in the same premises.
According to Prime Minister Iveta Radicova, this year’s floods contributed to the need to restore the operation of the environment department as an independent institution. The new name of the Agriculture Ministry will be the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. The Environment Ministry will represent the central body of the state administration for formation and preservation of the environment.
Several opposition deputies criticized the decision to re-establish the Environment Ministry. According to them, the ministry was not canceled, but merged with the Agriculture Ministry. Moreover, the tendency in western Europe is to reduce the number of ministries. Deputies for the ruling coalition argued that the Environment Ministry ceased to exist as an independent office due to the scandalous sale of Slovakia’s redundant AAU allowances, which the new government has to deal with.
SITA
