SAVE THE POLISH COUNTRYSIDE!

To: Wojewoda Dolnośląski
Urząd Wojewódzki we Wrocławiu
Plac Powstańców Warszawy 1
50-951 Wrocław
fax: 071-7907120

Dear Sir,

We would like to express our support for the Protest Committee of the inhabitants of villages Chromiec, Międzylesie and Antoniów and local organizations in the case against granting of a concession for rock mining research on the territory of the village Mała Kamienica, district Stara Kamienica, province Dolny Śląsk, Poland, by a?company POL-SKAL. The research includes digging up 1.300 metres of research ditches, which would be 1 meter wide and 2 metres deep.

We consider it inappropriate, that the Environment Minister, with the decision No. DG/p/TK/487/4131/2004, has annuled the decision of Wojewoda of 17 March 2004 no. 2/P/2003, in which he has refused granting of the concession.

We would like to point out, that the Minister has violated the general Polish and European administrative law principles, which an annulment of a decision must fulfill, and has issued the desicion without pointing out to the substantive grounds. The decision of the Minister was based on insufficient and false prerequisites and did not take into account arguments of the local community. This was, among others, pointed out in the complaint fo 15 07 2004 to the Wojewódzki Sąd Administracyjny (Wojewódzki Administrative Court) by the Protest Committee of the inhabitants of the villages Chromiec, Międzylesie and Antoniów.

We are afraid, that Wojewoda Dolnośląski, will be forced, basing on the decision of the minister, to put more emphasis in his decision-making on the arguments of the POL-SKAL company in spite of all the protests and the negative opinion of the local government and will issue a decision not taking into account arguments of the local protest committe, nature council, local organizations and the inhabitants of the territory directly bordering the area of the research digging. It would be a proof, that local community has no chances to influence any decisions directly leading to the lowering of their standard of living. Such a process would be really undemocratic and even scandalous.

We are asking to issue a democratic decision which would enable doing the mining research for the company POL-SKAL on the territory of the village Mała Kamienica, which would lead to, among others:

– Irreversible destruction of the nature and landscape values of the nearby villages having unique historical and cultural value,
– Negatively influencing the development of (agro)tourism and loss in value of the nearby houses.
– Financial catastrophe and the end of existance of the Polish-Dutch Centre NEMO neighbouring with the territory of the planned research.

We are counting on your positive reaction to our request.