List prezidentovi Medzinárodného olympijského výboru T. Bachovi

Bratislava, May 7, 2014

Dear Mr President,

As you probaly know, both Polish and Slovak Prime Ministers expressed their interest to support candidacy of Polish Krakow to organise Winter Olympic Games 2022. Slovak participation should consist of organising the Alpine disciplines in the Region of Chopok – Jasna – Demanovska dolina in the Central part of the Low Tatras Mountains.

Let me inform you that this part of the Low Tatras belongs to the territory of the National Park Low Tatras (NP Nízke Tatry).

Moreover, the Demanovska dolina valley represents the Nature Reserve and contains an extremelly valuable karst system of European importance.

I repeatedly asked the Slovak Government to provide a serious Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) before the oficial decision on the candidacy. I also initiated a public discussion in the Slovak Parliament where the Minister of Environment was invited to explain the Governmental approach to this topic, especially from the nature protection point of view.

Despite several initiatives of myself and others (experts, NGOs, journalists, etc.) we did not receive any relevant, meaningful answer except of about two pages of general phrases and promise that each individual project will be carefully evaluated via the EIA procedure.

Dear Mr. President,

I am sure that the intention to organise a very important part of the Winter Olympic Games in the protected area is in contradiction with The Olympic Charter (among others also with art. 2.13): „to encourage and support a responsible concern for environmental issues, to promote sustainable development in sport and to require that the Olympic Games are held accordingly“.

For the above mentioned reasons let me appeal to the International Olympic Committee as well as you personally, please, to take above-mentioned into consideration and refuse the Slovak co-candidacy to the WOG 2022.

With many thanks in advance.

Your sincerely,

Prof. Mikuláš Huba, PhD.

Chairman of the Committee for Land Management and Environment

of the National Council of the Slovak Republic

Mr Thomas Bach

President of the International Olympic Committee

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