Slovak government refuses to pay for Istrochem clean-up in Bratislava

Cleaning up the environmental damage at the Istrochema complex in Bratislava will cost an estimated €350m, according to the Slovak Environmental Ministry. That's more than the ministry can afford and it would use up funds needed to clean up other locations in the country. It's calling on the complex's owner, the chemical company Istrochem, to finance the work. Istrochem is owned by the Agrofert group, which has indicated that it's willing to discuss the matter. Slovakia's Minister of the Environment Jan Budaj says it's crucial that the current operations at the complex aren't adding new damage to the existing situation. He said that since those who privatized the company got it at an incredibly cheap price, the state shouldn’t end up having to pay to clean up its mess. "I'll do everything to stop that from happening," he said.

Photo: Kelovy