On Tuesday, Several Slovak MEPs called on Prime Minister Igor Matovič, Environment Minister Ján Budaj, Agriculture Minister Ján Mičovský and Finance Minister Eduard Heger (all four OLaNO) to commit themselves to earmarking at least 10 percent of the money that Slovakia will receive from the Next Generation EU scheme for protecting biodiversity in Slovakia.
MEP Martin Hojsík stated that the world is currently only focusing on the coronavirus pandemic, but it's also facing a biodiversity crisis, as various species have been going extinct at an accelerating rate.
According to the most recent report of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), populations of fish, birds, amphibians, reptiles and mammals fell by 68 percent in the period between 1970-2016.
"According to the National Strategy on the Protection of Biodiversity in Slovakia, 70 percent of fish species, all amphibian species, almost 92 percent of reptile species, 46 percent of nesting-bird species and 69 percent of mammal species are endangered," stated Hojsik, calling the figures "alarming".
EU environment ministers are set to discuss this issue at an informal meeting due to be held on Wednesday, with Budaj representing Slovakia.
The call was supported by MEPs Michal Wiezik, Michal Simecka, Ivan Stefanec, Peter Pollak and Monika Benova, plus several environmental organisations in Slovakia, such as WWF Slovakia, Fridays for the Future Slovakia, and BirdLife Slovakia.
Source: TASR
