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EU drags Greece to court over filthy lake

27 January 2011, 17:32 CET
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(BRUXELLES) - Europe is referring Greece to the European court of justice for failing to stem pollution of Lake Koroneia, a key wetland for birds and a onetime fishing haven now too dirty for bathing.

Announcing its decision to refer the case to the court on Thursday, the European Commission also said it was suspending a pledge to pour 20 billion euros into a fund to rehabilitate the lake due to Greece's failure to act to end pollution.

"There are still trucks carrying water from households and industry being poured into the lake," said commission spokeswoman Marlene Holzner. "We will stop paying the money. Not a cent has been paid out so far."

The lake in the Thessaloniki region was once home to several hundred families who earned a living fishing and is used by 150 species of birds for breeding and winter stopovers.

The commission issued a formal warning to Greece in May last year over its failure to implement a 2004 action plan to clean up the site.


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