Slovak court upholds legality of Málinec – Látky hydroelectric project

The Slovak Administrative Court has upheld the legality of the preparatory and exploratory processes for the Málinec – Látky pumped-storage hydroelectric plant (PVE). The court dismissed a lawsuit filed by non-governmental organizations and rejected their request for a stay of execution, aligning with a previous Constitutional Court ruling that the state and investor have acted in accordance with the Constitution and current legislation.

The court specifically noted that the state enterprise Vodohospodárska výstavba (VV) has remained within the legal framework, including compliance with the Geological Act and laws regarding significant investments. Furthermore, the court ruled that claims regarding interference with property rights were unfounded, stating that the plaintiffs lacked the standing to protect the subjective property rights of third parties.

Minister of Environment Tomáš Taraba described the ruling as proof of the professionalism of the Ministry and VV. He characterized the opposition from certain activists as politically motivated. The project, which holds significant investment status, is intended to bolster economic growth and water management functions in central Slovakia while maintaining the Málinec reservoir as a source of drinking water.