For a serial government tolerance towards the company Cypra, spoke the MP of the Movement of Ecologists – Citizens' Cooperation George Perdikis, while expressing the hope that the result of the investigations of the Research Committee to lead to the truth in relation to the “unacceptable” actions not only of the businessman but mainly those who should control it.
In his statements after his second statement today before the Commission of Inquiry on issues concerning the companies CYPRA Ltd and / or CYPRA BIOENERGY Ltd, Mr. Perdikis also answered questions regarding a complaint he made in December to the Veterinary Services for improper meat disposal in a local restaurant by a slaughterhouse worker.
“I continued to testify before the Cypra Investigation Commission today by quoting and submitting a series of documents that I think complement a serial image of government tolerance towards a company that was illegal, arbitrary, polluting the region and making a “A series of illegal actions that have affected all the communities in the area, Kato Moni, Agios Ioannis, Meniko, Orounda”, he said.
He expressed the hope that “the result of the investigations of the Commission of Inquiry will be clear and will lead to the truth in relation to the unacceptable actions, not only of the businessman, but especially of those who should control him in order to prevent this orgy of illegalities and destruction of the environment but also threats to the public health of the inhabitants “.
“I helped as much as I could and I will continue to help the locals and the Research Committee in this project,” he said.
Unanswered complaint to Veterinary Services for disposal of unsuitable meat
Asked about a letter he submitted to the Research Committee about a complaint he made to the Director of Veterinary Services about the disposal of unsuitable meat, he replied that “yes, there is a letter to Mr. Pipis (Deputy Director of Veterinary Services), I had a complaint “that meat that had been deemed unsuitable to be marketed, eventually by the illegal actions of some workers there at the slaughterhouse seems to have been channeled to a restaurant in the area.” According to him, he clarified, “with the complaint”. Mr. Perdikis had submitted the letter dated 7/12/2020 to the Commission a little earlier.
Mr. Perdikis stated that “I expected that such a complaint that was made 1.5 months ago, I think, would be immediately investigated or at least answered.” So far, he added, “I have not received a response from the Veterinary Services.”
In an additional question on the subject, he replied that “the complaint says that the specific worker / manager of the slaughterhouse was fired but has recently been rehired and is working again in the slaughterhouse”. That's what the complaint says, he said, “so it needs to be investigated by the Veterinary Services.” Obviously, he added, “when you make it public they will be called to respond and they will finally respond.”
When asked where the restaurant was according to the complaint, he replied that it was in a neighboring area of the slaughterhouse. “I do not want to panic,” he said, adding that “it was obviously an incident that ended a long time ago.”
Exceeding hydrogen sulfide emission limits by a company chimney in 2014
Regarding the detection of hydrogen sulfide emissions in the company's chimneys and when the last measurements were made, Mr. Perdikis replied that “I do not know when the last measurements were made, but there is a case with hydrogen sulfide, which in fact impressed me that the emission was disputed at a time when there are government measures. “
He noted that “I did not take measurements, it is the Ministry of Labor that took measurements in 2014 and the measurements showed exceeding the limits of hydrogen sulfide emissions, which is toxic.” About, continued Mr. Perdikis, the lawyer of the company claimed that it is not the hydrogen sulfide that smelled but it is the pigs, despite the measurement made by the Ministry of Labor.
He said the case went to court, but as far as he knows there was no conviction for exceeding the limits. At least until 2017 when he asked again, he said, “the official answer from the Ministry of Labor was that from 2014 to 2017 there was no re-measurement in relation to hydrogen sulfide.” I do not know from 2017 until today if it happened, he added.
But, he noted, I find it strange that three years have passed since the emissions of a toxic gas were exceeded and that no one from a government agency is going to measure again if the emissions of this particular gas continue.
In his testimony before the Research Committee, the MP of the Movement of Ecologists – Citizens' Cooperation spoke about a report in 2016 during a meeting of the Environment Committee of the Parliament that measurements were made for gas emissions and exceedances of hydrogen sulfide emissions and public reaction were identified. of the then Chairman of the Committee Adamos Adamos that hydrogen sulfide is an extremely toxic substance.
She submitted to the Commission an answer from the Minister of Labor, Welfare and Social Insurance Zeta Aimilianidou in December 2016 to a question he had asked her about the fact that in 2014 in two cases measurements of nitrogen oxides and hydrogen sulfide were made in the gaseous waste of chimneys and Exceedances of the emission limits set in the company's license were found, with the result that the Labor Inspection Department took criminal action against the company, as well as that the case was at the stage of the hearing process.
He, as he said, returned to the issue on January 12, 2017 with a question as to when the criminal prosecution was registered and whether new measurements have been carried out in Kato Moni. “We are talking about a gas that is really toxic,” he said. The answer she received was on March 6, 2017 from Ms. Aimilianidou that the case was registered on 7/10/2014 and that the Labor Inspection Department is not able to know when the process will be completed, and that they have not been conducted. any measurements after 2014.
At this point, Mr. Perdikis commented that it is “extremely strange that 3 years pass later, that no repeated measurements are made”. He also submitted a relevant announcement of the Movement on March 15, 2017 and informed the Commission that he himself visited the area and was an eyewitness of the strong stench.
Responding later to a question from the company's lawyer Ilias Stefanou, which was authorized by the Commission, whether he knew whether there was an investigation by TEPAK which showed that the odors came from the dust and humidity of the quarries, Mr. Perdikis said that there was a TEPAK research, adding, however, that “my personal opinion is that this particular odor comes from hydrogen sulfide.” Sulfur, he said, has a characteristic odor.
At today's meeting of the Committee, Mr. Perdikis presented all the steps he had taken and are related to the Cypra company through parliamentary interventions, letters and announcements from 2016 until today and answered questions from the Chairman and members of the Committee.
Among other things, these concerned letters, questions and answers he received about the illegal intervention in a dry riverbed by the company, the over-pumping of water from the company's wells, a complaint which he made to the Auditor General Odysseas Michailidis for possible use. the concession of water to the company, but also the representations made through the Speaker of Parliament to the Police for the fact that the owner of the company instead of going to a meeting of the Parliamentary Committee to which he was invited, went in violation of a decree in force to the slaughterhouse, which ultimately resulted in the imposition of a fine of € 300.
Mr. Perdikis also stated that he was involved in asking questions related to environmental issues in relation to the slaughterhouse and the company Cypra as one of the companies dealing with animal waste management, noting that there were and still are strong environmental problems in the management of animal waste by companies operating in the area.
He suggested to the Commission that it should be investigated how the allegations against the Sigan plant were dealt with and against Cypra.
“I have the impression that a relaxed approach is being followed,” he said.
