Slovakia to demolish gypsy settlement
CASE: Slovakia to demolish
gypsy settlement which is built on
gas pipeline
The illegal gypsy settlement near Plavecký Štvrtok will be demolished due to the fact that the houses are built on a gas pipeline and infrastructure connected to the operation point of a gas storage tank. The decision was approved by the Slovak Minister of Interior Daniel Lipšic.
Apart from the fact that the settlement was built on the pipeline it also breached two more laws as it was built without having construction permission and is located in a natural reservation with the highest level of protection.
The fact that the settlement is built on the pipeline’s passageway is the most risk factor due to the high pressure in the pipeline. For many years the inhabitants were even setting opened fires. In case the pipeline gets damaged and gas starts to escape, a explosion and fire that would follow will be of catastrophic scale.
As Ivan Slezák, mayor of Plavecký Štvrtok said, the town has been trying for years to demolish the illegal settlement, but the office of the public prosecution is in its way; although the law permits the demolition, the town needs to identify the owners of the buildings because they have to receive an appropriate decision.
Yet the settlers do not see this as a problem and are not planning to move. Those who are willing to move demand an alternative place for living, but the town is not responsible to provide it on its own expenses.
Week in Slovakia
Tuesday – 19th October 2010
Putting out of service the power plant V1 in Jaslovské Bohunice will require yet another investment of approximately 62 million euro. Representatives from the Nuclear and Imposition Company (JAVYS) and European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) signed three grant agreements on Monday worth the above mention sum. They are the financial assurance of activities connected to disabling nuclear power plants.
Project of the gas pipeline connection between Slovakia and Hungary is entering a next phase. The second binding round of the Open Season process is now opened for those interested until 8th December 2010. After this date the company eu stream, plc. And FGSZ from Hungary will evaluate the applications. The inter-state 115 km long pipeline should be put into operation in 2014.
Wednesday – 21st October 2010
An illegal gypsy settlement near by Plavecký Štvrtok will be demolished. The decision was taken by the Minister of Interior Daniel Lipšic. The reason is that a gas pipeline under high pressure is going under the settlement and might cause and explosion. Moreover, the gypsy settlement is located in a protected reservation with the 5 degree of protection.
European Union and World
Monday – 18th October 2010
More and more customers are interested in using compressed natural gas CNG for transport means in Czech Republic. It is possible that until the end of 2010 approximately 3.000 vehicles could be running on CNG on the Czech roads. In proportions to the higher interest, the consumption of compressed gas is also rising. Until the end this year the consumption could reach 10 million cubic meters according to the Czech gas union.
Estonian industry companies are buying increasingly more electric energy on the domestic market. Since the market with electricity was deregulates in April 2010, purchases of the commodity on stock markets tripled. In September the volume reaches 393 GWh of electricity. Estonia is member of the biggest market with electricity in the world – Nord Pool.
An earlier suspension of coal extraction could save money for Germany. If the country would agree with the proposal on stopping the subsidized coal extraction already in 2014, Berlin could save 1,3 billion euro according to the German Economic Institute. However, the German Chancellor Angela Merkel as well as the federal states and representatives of the trade unions are against. They want to continue with coal extraction until 2018.
A new round of strikes has begun on Monday in France against the reform of the pension system. Fuel shortage is increasingly deepening while the western part of the country is experiencing the biggest problems. If needed, France is also taking into consideration the option that it will use the state material reserves.
Governments of Poland and Russian Federation have made an agreement on the conditions of the deal on natural gas supplies. Its final version now depends only on the negotiations between the two state gas companies. The EU also agrees with the proposed contract.
Tuesday – 19th October 2010
Connecting new solar power sources to the grid is threatening stability of the German transmission network. According to the German Energy Agency (DENA), the state should pose some capacity restrictions when they are installed and propose a limit of 1GW of total installed capacity per year. By this the country could gain more time in order to modernize the electricity networks and at the same time lower the costs of buying in electricity generated at solar power plants.
The highest administrative court of Czech Republic has decided that the energy company ČEZ is obliged to publicly provide information. The reasoning of the court is that the law on free access to information applies to it. And although the state has the majority share of the stakes in ČEZ, the company is questioning the decision of the court. According to them, it would violate the equality of rights on the free market wit electricity.
The Czech government will set forth until the end of this year a new law proposal for finishing the construction of the nuclear power plant Temelín. The reaction came from the Cabinet of Petr Nečas after the recent news about the years-lasting delay in finishing the two blocks of the power plant. According to Nečas, in 2013 it will be the Czech government, not ČEZ to decide on who will be the supplier.
Ukraine and Venezuela will cooperate in the field of energy. During the visit of President Hugo Chavez in Kiev, the two countries singed a deal focusing on development of oil and natural gas extraction in Venezuela. The details of the agreement remain unknown.
Wednesday – 21st October 2010
Businessmen in the photovoltaic sector in Czech Republic are feeling threatened by the new solar tax which is being proposed by the Czech government as part as the measures aimed at preventing a drastic increase in the price for electricity in 2011. Czech Photovoltaic Industry Association (ČFPA) considers the proposed 26 % tax as a breach of the business conditions between the banks and investors. Ministry of Finance CR is defending itself and argues that solar power plants will still be a profit-earning business.
Gas pipeline Arad – Szeget between Hungary and Romania is fully operational now. Thanks to the new pipeline Bucharest does not have to import solely Russian gas. Currently the gas flows only in one direction, from Hungary to Romania. The opening ceremony of the new pipeline connection was attended by both prime ministers of the two countries as well as EU Commissioner for Energy Gunther Oettinger.
South Korea will grant the African Mozambique a financial loan in order to construct three solar power plants in the north part of the country. The aim of the project is to connect towns and villages in remote areas to electricity. Mozambique suffers from electricity drop-outs constantly for a long time.
Thursday – 21st October 2010
Czech Republic has passed a tax of 26 % for solar power plants with a total installed capacity of more than 30 kW. The price for electricity for end consumers should not rise by more than 5,5 % in 2011. The tax should earn the government’s budget 4,2 billion CZK.
Hydro-energy contributes to global warming. This is the conclusion of scientists in Switzerland that were researching a hydro-power plant located at a low height above sea level. They have found out that the water damn produces enormous amounts of methane. Issuing this gas causes warming of the atmosphere. In the greenhouse gas effect methane is 25 more times effective as CO2.
Russia is preparing for a huge privatization wave that will also affect the energy sector. A part of the privatization plan is also selling a minority share in the company Rosneft, 8 % of the hydro-energy company RusHydro or stakes of the Russian network operator within the Unified Energy Systems.
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