At its session held on 29 November 2005, the Environmental Protection Committee discussed the environmental situation at Krusevac-based Zupa chemical plant. A report was presented by the Director of the Environmental Protection Directorate, Miroslav Nikcevic. Earlier this year, the Ministry of Science and Environmental Protection had requested the Ministry of the Interior to intensify police inspections at the company in order to ensure that production continued, as a complete stop in production had occurred in March – the company was left without any security in, and control over, plants located within the factory grounds containing large quantities of various very toxic, explosive and highly flammable substances.

Based on inspections carried out by the Republic Environmental Protection Inspector’s Office, and ensuing laboratory tests, the Ministry of Science and Environmental Protection adopted a number of measures, with which the Environmental Protection Committee was acquainted. Bearing in mind that the plant stores noxious substances, which may have a highly damaging effect on the environment, and that a level of security necessary to adequately protect the equipment that uses the harmful substances could not be achieved, the Fire Inspection has undertaken to provide continuous supervision at the company.

Members of the Environmental Protection Committee insisted on implementing the proposed measures, and recommended that the Ministry should forward the report on the environmental situation at the Zupa chemical plant to the Privatisation Agency and the Share Fund so that they could appoint temporary management bodies, as the owner abandoned the company in March 2005.

The Committee also discussed the Bill Amending and Modifying the Mining Act. Presenting the Bill, the Assistant Minister of Mining and Energy, Dejan Rajkovic, told the deputies that the most significant addition to the Bill was the establishment of a Mining Agency. He added that there was a need to modernise regulations governing the field so that foreign investment could be attracted.

The Committee’s session was chaired by the chairman of the Committee, Miloje Savic.