Appalling: Chinese company fined in Hungary, decision only published after elections
A Chinese company near Debrecen in Hungary has been fined for environmental pollution: however, the decision was only published after the 9 June elections.
Chinese company fined
Managing Director Matthew Shen at a press conference on the Halms Hungary Ltd. investment on 6 September 2022. Photo: MTI/Bruzák Noémi
The Hajdú-Bihar County Government Office published the decision to fine the Chinese car company Halms after a delay of three weeks. The company was fined HUF 1.98 million (EUR 5,012) for violating waste management rules, 24.hu reported.
The company was fined because it secretly discharged polluted water from its site near Debrecen into the Kisgugyori canal. The government office decided on the fine on 22 May but only published the decision after the municipal elections.
In January, the authority carried out an unannounced inspection of the premises of Halms Ltd. The inspectors noticed that an unknown, white-coloured substance was leaking into the Kisgugyori canal, a natural drainage channel in the area. They found that the contaminated water was coming from the Chinese company’s site.
According to the decision, the company was prosecuted and ordered to “remedy the unlawful situation caused by the pollutant leaking into the sewer”.
The company received huge government support
Halms, a Chinese company, invested EUR 43 million in the first phase of the construction of the parts plant, for which the Hungarian government provided around HUF 1.5 billion (EUR 3.8 million) in funding.
Over the past year and a half, civil protests have been launched in Debrecen and the surrounding municipalities over the battery industry investments. Some surveys have suggested that this is adversely affecting support for the Fidesz leadership. Sunday’s municipal elections did not prove this to be the case, with László Papp easily retaining his mayoral seat with almost 50% of the vote.
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3 Comments
Shocking. As if nobody knew these Chinese factories would be an environmental nightmare. As if the fallout from Chernobyl and the toxic spills into the rivers were not enough. Instead let’s allow more damage to the fields and contamination of the water supply. Wake up Hungarians!
Shocking. As if nobody knew these Chinese factories would be an environmental nightmare. As if the fallout from Chernobyl and the toxic spills into the rivers were not enough. Instead let’s allow more damage to the fields and contamination of the water supply. Wake up Hungarians!
No worries, dear Chinese friends. Our Politicians have you covered!
Please act surprised?