Summary of newsmakers of the previous day – 14.2.2008

Parliament passed law on prevention of ecological damage

The Parliament passed a law on prevention of ecological damage and on its remedy on Wednesday the 13th of February. As a spokesman of the Ministry of Environment CR (MŽP) Jakub Kašpar informed, it is dealt with a significant legal norm in environment conservation. Requirements of a European regulation, which transfers in practice a principle of prevention and a principle “contaminator pays”, get in the Czech legal order. The law refers to an operator of selected activities which are considered as risky for the environment and human health - e.g. it is dealt with dumps, waste incinerators, large industrial plants as well as cross-border transport of wastes.

Testing of cattle for BSE

Since 2001 examination of cattle in CR has cost more than 1,2 billion crowns. Approximately three quarters of costs for examination of cattle were paid by domestic processors and breeders. From the first occurrence of the disease, which was recorded in 2001, examinations confirmed 28 cases of BSE from 1,22 million tested animals. BSE in the Czech Republic and whole Europe recedes now. Veterinarians recorded only two positive cows in Czech farms last year which is by one less than in 2006. Since 2001 1 220 458 cows have been tested for BSE; one test costs 1035 crowns.

SZIF decreases burden of farmers

The State Agricultural Intervention Fund (SZIF) pays billions CZK of agricultural subsidies every year and its duty, of course, is to carry out thorough checks. However, SZIF is not the only inspectional institution to which farmers have to enable access on a piece of land or to put forward documents on regular fulfillment of all conditions and regulations. Not only SZIF checks particular conditions to which a farmer bound himself by submitting an application for subsidy. Farmers are checked also by representatives of other state bodies.

Factory influencing price of eggs

Various factors which influence price of foodstuffs, especially eggs. All branches of food industry including to eggs processing feel an unfavourable influence on the total price which can be caused for example also growing prices of bio-fuels. Bio-fuels are one of factors significantly influencing total prices of food goods. At a special workshop which took place in Budapest it was said that these are also other different factors which manage price of eggs and especially their height.