"The government will continue to help the townships affected by the red sludge disaster even now that remediation has been completed" – said Minister for Rural Development Sándor Fazekas in Devecser at the press conference following the tour of the restored areas.

Life has returned to the region, the whole area has been cleansed, new houses have been built, and the energy crops planted following the disaster are growing. The Ministry of Rural Development began the surveying and remediation of agricultural damage immediately following the dam burst on October 4.

By redirecting some of its own resources, the Ministry set up a budget of 350 million HUF to fund the supplementation of the loss of income of businesses affected by the disaster. After the dam burst and the toxic waste flooded the area, red sludge had to be collected from 300 hectares of arable land, with damage remediation occurring on a total of 800 hectares. Over 800 cubic metres of pollutant material was collected using heavy machinery, and was transported to designated storage facilities at the alumina plant. Damage remediation of land was complemented with the dredging of rivers and streams, the restoration of the castle garden in Devecser, the cleansing of the fishing lake in Kolontár, soil supplementation of private gardens and the cleansing of the trunks of polluted trees.

"All work has now been completed and animal and plant life has regenerated, as is confirmed by the results of tests performed on 20 thousand soil and water samples", stated Ministerial Commissioner Csaba Szabó, following the official press inspection of the area. Ha also added that the bill for damage remediation of the peripheral area was 16 billion HUF? somewhat less than originally calculated. At peak times, 250 trucks were on the move, 50 excavators were involved, and professionals worked continuously at 14 sites.

Sándor Fazekas called the fact that a fifteen hectare energy crop plantation had been established on the outskirts of Devecser a reassuring initiative. He drew attention to the fact that Hungarian plants species are at hand for the production of modern bioenergy. The Ministry is supporting the newly launched Start work programme in the region by supplying land. The Ministry is helping the development of markets for the distribution of local produce and the integration of businesses through the tender funds of the Ignác Darányi Plan.

In reply to a question from the press, the Minister informed that the Ministry has been holding discussions with the European Union on the damage mitigation of agricultural businesses affected by the disaster for at least a year now, but no decision has yet been reached because the conditions keep changing. The Minister expressed his hope that conciliatory talks might be completed within a few months, after which a clear resolution may be brought on the issue. He has called on Ministerial Commissioner Csaba Szabó, MEP for Fidesz Béla Glattfelder, and the region's Member of Parliament József Ékes, to conduct the talks.

"A total of 68 agricultural entrepreneurs and businesses lodged claims for damages against destroyed crops and animal stock to a value of around 1.2 billion HUF", said Ministerial Commissioner Csaba Szabó. He added, "On at least three occasions the EU Commission put forward new questions regarding the issue just two days before the close of the 60-day deadline."

Sándor Fazekas emphasised, "A solution must be found to stop the escape of dust from the reservoirs of the alumina plant in Ajka; the environmental authority is working on a plan of action to this effect." He added, "The escape of such dust is the result of changes in technology, and also affects the route from the plant to the reservoirs."

Andrea Zay, Director of the Central Transdanubia Environmental, Conservation and Water Management Directorate explained that the authorities would meet with representatives of MAL Zrt to discuss the timetable for work to reinforce the reservoirs, and to complete preliminary work on plans to recultivate the reservoirs' cassettes. The Veszprém District Mines Inspectorate, which originally provided official permission for the reservoirs, has prohibited all operations within the territory of the alumina plant in Ajka.

The environmental authority is continuously monitoring levels of dust pollution, and according to tests. levels have not exceeded allowed limits in the region of Devecser, Kolontár and Somlóvásárhely, stated Andrea Zay. By order of the Minister, a permanent monitoring station will be set up by the environmental authority down-wind of the area.

(Press Office of the Ministry of Rural Development)