Published: December 19 2023
In December 2020, a significant amount of waste oil was released into a sub-channel of the River Danube, resulting in severe environmental damage to an area of 1,800 square meters in Budapest. Despite the costly efforts to clean up the affected area, no one has been held accountable for the oil contamination.
Environmental Damage and Lack of Accountability
The release of several thousand liters of waste oil in the River Danube has caused extensive damage to the environment, particularly in an area with Natura 2000 environmental protection ranking. The contamination has spread over an area of 1,800 square meters, leading to significant ecological consequences. Despite the seriousness of the incident, no one has been held responsible for the oil release.
Costly Cleanup Efforts
The environmental cleanup of the affected area has required a substantial financial investment, amounting to several hundred million forints. The high costs of the cleanup demonstrate the severe impact of the waste oil release on the environment and the expenses involved in mitigating its consequences.
Seeking Accountability
The Democratic Coalition (DK) party, represented by Olivio Kocsis-Cake and Éva Kocsis, is determined to hold the responsible party accountable for the oil contamination. They plan to address Chief Public Prosecutor Péter Polt regarding the lack of progress in identifying the culprit. Additionally, the party's parliamentary group will approach the interior minister to uncover the responsible party and ensure that appropriate consequences are imposed to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.
Questions & Answers
What happened with the waste oil in Budapest? Several thousand litres of waste oil were released in a sub-channel of the River Danube in Budapest, causing severe damage to the environment in an area of 1,800 square metres.
When did the waste oil release occur? The waste oil release occurred in December 2020.
Was the area affected by the waste oil release protected? Yes, the area affected by the waste oil release had a Natura 2000 environmental protection ranking.
Has anyone been held accountable for the oil contamination? No, as of the time of the press conference, nobody had been held accountable for the oil contamination.
How much did it cost to clear the affected area? It cost several hundred million forints to clear the area affected by the oil contamination.
Will there be any consequences for the culprit responsible for the oil contamination? DK's parliamentary group is determined to reveal who was responsible for the oil contamination and ensure that any such act is not left without a consequence in the future.
