In Ełk, a protest of residents took place today in front of the town hall regarding the a terrible stench that is perceptible in our city and makes life difficult. With the protesters the president of Ełk, Tomasz Andrukiewicz, met. He provided information about recent actions in this matter.

Last week, the Mayor applied to the Inter-Municipal Association "Economy Komunalna", which is the owner of the company "Eko-Mazury" to convene a meeting Board. He requested that an urgent audit, i.e. an independent control, be carried out. On Friday On 26 July, the Association convened the board, to which the following were invited: President Tomasz Andrukiewicz and the Mayor of the Ełk Municipality Tomasz Osewski. The Board of the Inter-Municipal Association "Gospodarka Komunalna" decided to carry out an audit by the company external in the scope of proper waste management by the company. The audit is to check whether the PGO operates in accordance with the law, with permits, or whether perform their duties properly, whether there are any violations there.

The Mayor also provided information about the actions taken by the Company Waste Management " Eko-Mazury", owned by is the Inter-Municipal Association, i.e. about the planned installation of an anti-odor curtain, cooperation with specialists, installation of gas-burning flares.

Representatives of the residents who gathered today in front of the office, They handed over their demands to the president.  Many of them coincide with those already announced last week actions taken against PGO and other institutions.

Protesters' demands:

1.       establishment of a specialist advisory and task force, but without residents

2.       determining which types of waste are the largest risk to start their disposal as soon as possible, and charge and extract the costs to the consequences for all those responsible for the situation and for the failure to comply with duties and negligence which have contributed to the current state of affairs

3.       conducting a comprehensive audit in the the company "Eko-Mazury" by an external, independent company

4.       whether the construction of the curtain and other activities carried out on the premises of the "Eko-Mazury" company will affect the height of the garbage fees. If the fees increase because of this, divide the construction costs equally on the inhabitants of all communes forming the Inter-Municipal Association

5.       If any irregularities in the activities of the company "Eko-Mazury", striving to dismissal of the President of the Management Board Bartosz Detkiewicz, appointment of a new Supervisory Board which will be composed of representatives not related to the current the authorities of the Town Hall and the Commune Office indicated by the residents

6.       Reference by representatives of the City Hall Ełk and the Municipality of Ełk cooperation and activities with the management of the Energoutil company to eliminate – reduce the odour.

Ongoing information on the above-mentioned websites institutions of the actions taken and their results

7.       We demand an immediate stop to delivery of the external stream to the "Eko-Mazury" company.

Today, in front of the town hall, the mayor again assured the residents that will do everything within its competence to stop stinking in Ełk. No will only pass on the residents' demands to the owners of the "Eko-Mazury" company, but it will be He supervised their implementation and actively participated in other activities.

"It must stop stinking in Ełk. We are here together today because We are affected by a common problem! A stench, a stench that does not allow us to live peacefully.  We will be fully committed to implementing actions and postulates so that everyone is convinced that in Ełk it is possible to live normally. The company's activity must not threaten the comfort of the of our lives. The health and life of the residents is the most important.

The residents of Ełk, the residents of Siedliska and the surrounding area," said the mayor Tomasz Andrukiewicz.

He also assured that the audit that will be carried out will be the basis for further actions, including settlements, which was also called for by the residents.

The mayor invited representatives of residents to the town hall in order to discuss all the demands.

After the meeting, the protesting residents, the mayor of Ełk, his deputies and The councillors present went together to the Ełk Commune Office.