SKY-HIGH DUTIES CANCELLED

The Constitutional Court has cancelled the decree about duties without upper limit in cases of environment protection with immediate effect.

After 2004 the sum of duties after penalties of several tens or hundreds of millions has reached in some categories 50 per cent of the original fine. According to the present practice the green authorities impose heavy fines even in cases when only administrative negligence can be found.

Last year HUF 3.5 billion fine was imposed for environmental pollution in 1304 cases. The verdict of the Constitutional Court restores the former law with much lighter penalties but the huge former duties cannot be reclaimed.

Translated by Péter Szentmihályi Szabó