There are never too many ecological investments in Slovnaft

In this paper author deals with the ecological investments of biggest Slovak petroleum company Slovnaft, a.s., Bratislava. Even though General Manager of Slovnaft, a.s., Bratislava, Vratko Kassovic estimates the annual environmental investments of Slovnaft to hundreds of million crowns this still is not enough. At the end of the seventies and beginning of the eighties Slovnaft was one of the major topic in discussions about major polluters. Some asked for the petrochemical factory to move out of the city, some asked for a production freeze. Slovnaft staid and as any other company that wants to be profitable - expanded. Citizens in Ruzinov and Podunajske Biskupice complain about the smell. The refinery is the largest polluter in Bratislava. According to information provided by Ministry of Environment several operations of Slovnaft are in category B established by the latest amendment of Act on Air Protection (effective as of 1999) to allow companies to adjust to the new standards. Since the Amendment entered into force charges for air pollution have grown unless sufficient environmental measures are adopted. In spite of announced standards Slovnaft keeps paying more and more. According to records of District Office Bratislava II the amount of charges in 2003 will double compared to previous year. (Author)