Waste Processing Landfill Site in Pezinok1997 – 2009: Citizens Defending their Environment

Pezinok

A town of 20,000 inhabitants

Famous vine growing area

20 km away from the capital city The old landfill

The “old” existing landfill is situated just over 150 m away from a residential area

The “old” landfill site contains millions of tons of old waste (including toxic waste)

Citizens of Pezinok suffer more from cancer than the average rate in Slovakia

Depth: a 4-floor condominium

Area: 11 and half soccer fields

Potential capacity: 792,000 tons of waste

The distance from living area: 280 meters

“New” Landfill Site

The new landfill, 2008

ignored incompatibility of the construction plan with the binding law,

unlawfully made the decision-making process and the decisions secret,

excluded the citizens and the municipality from the proceeding,

tolerated the illegal construction and illegal use of the landfill.

During the procedure of permission for the construction the state authorities:

The Head of the state insitution that decided on the construction permission was Ján Man Jr. who was also:

a political nominee of the strongest government party,

a co-owner of the land under the landfill,

a son of the owner of the company that was building the landfill,

member of the board of trustees of the company.

Background

82% of Pezinok inhabitants did not agree with building the new landfill

1,200 citizens participated in the proceedings

A year long series of mass public protests

10 public protest actions in total

In a single day more than 8,000 people signed the petition that was sent to the European Parliament

Citizens’ Response

Public Support 150 public figures supported the protest

Growing support of the civic protest from all over the country

Support of the top political representatives of the country

More than 100 outputs in the national media monthly

Legal Support to the Civic InitiativeGranted a lawyer to work on the case for several years

Strategic LitigationA case of illegal exclusion of the citizens from the proceedings (Constitutional

Court ruling)A case of violation of freedom of speechAccess to information was limited to the citizens

Biela vrana (White crow) award 2008

Via Iuris:

What Makes this Story so Unique?

Synergy of legal tools and public campaigning

Extremely vital and long-lasting civic activism

Close cooperation of the municipality and the civic initiative

Significant involvement of the media

Never Ending Story?

The protest has lasted for more than 10 years

This is the largest civic campaign in Slovakia since 1989

Many top legal experts and public institutions agreed with the arguments of Pezinok citizens

The construction of the landfill has been finished

The landfill is being filled with waste

Until the last authority decides the landfill will be full of waste and the damage made on the environment will be irreversible

However

Photo: SME

Will the Damage Made on the Rule of Law in Slovakia be Irreversible as well?