Stocker confirmed that the mines where the gravel came from have since been closed. Both politicians announced the establishment of a working group to investigate the case. Its first meeting will be on May 25.
Magyar announced that the Hungarian side will demand compensation in the matter. “The most important thing is the health of people on both sides of the border,” emphasized Stocker.
The mayor of Szombathely, András Nemény, drew attention to the case, according to which asbestos-contaminated gravel was imported from Austria to several cities in the western part of Hungary. The gravel was then used in the construction of roads and parking lots. Due to the importation and use of contaminated gravel, a criminal complaint was filed on suspicion of criminal damage to the environment.
Nemény already reported in April that the permissible limit of asbestos concentration was exceeded several times in the vicinity of the road, which was built using contaminated gravel from Austria. Residents were given masks and the speed of vehicles was limited to ten kilometers per hour. “The road is continuously irrigated to reduce dust,” the website index.hu reported.
The proposal to cover roads and parking lots built with contaminated gravel with new asphalt was not passed. Experts say that in the event of a hole in the road, asbestos will continue to spread to the surrounding area. A satisfactory solution to the case is to be found by the mentioned Austro-Hungarian working group.
