Ombudsperson Mihail Cotorobai was informed that: The State Ecologic Inspectorate notified the General Prosecutor’s Office, requiring the initiation of a criminal case for water and soil pollution as a result of irregularities committed by ÎM GLC ,,Floreni service”, Floreni village.  At the same time, the person in charge from “Avifor GV” SRL was fined with MDL 7,000 and issued a prescription to eliminate the identified shortcomings.  

On 28 January 2016, the Ombudsperson started an investigation at its own initiative on the basis of the information disseminated by media about the ecologic disaster of the Bic River (http://www.publika.md/catastrofa-ecologica-de-la-floreni-primarul-spune-ca-se-face-show-_2522141.html). According to media reports, the waste from slaughter-houses from Floreni village, Anenii Noi district reached the Bic River due to a failure of a pumping station.

The Ombudsperson notified the State Ecologic Inspectorate, in order to check the lawfulness of the business actions and check the observance of the fundamental right to a healthy environment, safeguarded by Article 37 of the Constitution of the Republic of Moldova.

The Ombudsperson had been recently informed that the State Ecologic Inspectorate notified the General Prosecutor’s Office in order to start a criminal case for the pollution of water and soil, as a result of irregularities committed by ÎM GLC ,”Floreni service”, Floreni village.  At the same time, the person in charge from SRL ”Avifor GV” was fined with MDL 7,000 and was issued a prescription to eliminate the identified shortcomings.

 After the appropriate checks, the Ecologic Inspectorate of Anenii Noi found that the waste waters was leaking from a collector of the pumping station, owned by ÎM GLC ,,Floreni service”, Floreni village.  The environmental damage caused by soil pollution was estimated at MDL 63,803. The violation of the water law by ÎM GLC ,,Floreni service” caused an environmental damage of MDL 405,842.

According to Article 91 of the Law on Environmental Protection No 1515-XII, an individual or legal entity shall recover the damages or losses caused by the violation of environmental protection rules, irrespective of whether they were brought to criminal or administrative liability or not.

The Ombudsperson also added that the leakage into the Bic River was stopped and the inspectors from Anenii Noi Ecologic Inspectorate monitor the situation in the affected area.