Working meeting with Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Ján Mičovský, The Director-General of the Forestry and Wood Processing Section, Ing.

Michal Tomčík and the Vice-President for Resource Management of the SPK, Ing. Alojz Kasšák, were convened on the initiative of the Chairman of the Working Group, Jaroslav Karahut.The immediate impetus for convening the negotiations was the shocking events of the last days, when 4 horses (two stallions mares and 2 foals) were killed by unauthorized use of a firearm. pony and in another case there was a shot of a horse that had to be euthanized. These events occurred on private lands, in the intraviranean village in the Banská Bystrica Region and their actors were, according to witnesses, hunters." We must not allow the events of the last days and weeks, when an armed person shoots livestock, in the intraville villages and does not only cause sadness and economic loss to animal owners, but mainly violates laws on the use of weapons and endangers the life and health of even defenceless citizens of the Slovak Republic", stressed the Chairman of the Committee of the National Council of the Slovak Republic and the Chairman of the PS Jaroslav Karahuta." We have before us the approval of an amendment to the Hunting Act. I want to reassure the Slovak public that I will do my utmost as minister responsible for rural administration and development, in cooperation with the Committee of the National Council for Agriculture and the Environment and the Working Group on Veterinary Care and Animal Protection, so that such literally heinous cases of unauthorized hunting of livestock as well as pet animals are forever a thing of the past" stressed Minister PaRV Ján Mičovský during a press briefing.Negotiations on the protection of pets and livestock were also attended by other members of the PS for veterinary care and animal protection. , coordinator of PS Ing. Lenka Kmeťová, Mgr. Zuzana Staná, Animal Ombudsman and Plk. Ing. Mário Kern, Director of the Department of Hazardous Materials Detection and Environmental Crime of the Presidium of the Police Force of the Slovak Republic. The parties to the proceedings have condemned similar practices of unauthorised use of firearms and are assessed as a failure of individuals who are fundamentally contrary to the legislation in force and are confident that they will be dealt with fairly by law enforcement authorities, in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Criminal Code." As part of the forthcoming amendment to the Hunting Act, together with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the National Council of the Slovak Republic, we will prepare such legislative measures that will prevent similar heinous acts and together we will insist that all similar cases, related to the harm or killing of animals and the threat to the health and life of slovak citizens, are thoroughly investigated by the law enforcement authorities and punished by a fair independent court"