site.btaCabinet Amends Ordinance to Impose Higher Fines on Polluters

At its meeting on Wednesday, the Cabinet adopted amendments to the Ordinance on the type, amount and procedure for the imposition of penalties in case of damage to or pollution of the environment above the permissible standards and/or in case of non-compliance with the set emission standards and limits. The amendments set heavier penalties for violations by sole traders and legal entities, the government press service said.

An analysis for the 2019-2021 period shows that the values have not been updated for more than ten years, and the low penalties have no effect on regular violators, who find it cheaper to pay the fines than to take measures to stop pollution. Low penalties fail to curb pollution to the environment, which can also be detrimental to human life and health.

The amendments increase the penalties for damage to the environment and for non-compliance with certain emission standards and limits. They introduce formulas for calculating penalties for concentrations above the established daily and annual average emission limits. The changes to the part on air quality infringements are in line with the EU's Industrial Emissions Directive.

The increased penalties aim to take into account inflationary developments and follow the polluter-pays principle. A 50% increase in fines is envisaged in relation to the amount of individual penalties for most substances and up to 100% in some cases.