New bill on liability for environmental damage approved by government

The Environment Minister and Green Party leader Martin Bursik announced on Wednesday that the ruling cabinet had approved a draft bill, which would make polluters liable for any environmental damage they cause. It will also require businesses to take out mandatory insurance to cover the risk of their causing damage to the environment. The move is in response to EU directives that have been in effect since April and which require countries to enact legislation that clearly stipulates liability for environmental damage.

The EU directives were approved in 2004 in response to a number of major ecological disasters in Europe such as the sinking of the Erika oil tanker off the coast of France in 1999 which caused extensive damage to coastlines and marine life.