A group of MEP’s including the president of the delegation of the Committee on Petitions (PETI) of the European Parliament, Tatjana Zdanoka, spent three days in the Region of Murcia last week where they were looking at the situation of the Mar Menor.
During the three days they met first with petitioners and then with the authorities, before spending time listening to the concerns of the scientists responsible for implementing the solutions necessary to improve the ecosystem of the saltwater lagoon.
This was the fourth visit to Spain by Zdanoka who said that “the environmental situation of the Mar Menor and especially, the eutrophication of the lagoon, is extremely serious. It is always better to see the situation first hand, particularly by those who have not been here before.”
During a press conference at the end of their visit, Zdanoka showed the water samples from the lagoon that she was carrying in two tubes and that she will take back to Riga where they “will have an independent analysis.” The MEPs also captured lots of mobile images of the shore of the lagoon where the mud appeared under just a few centimeters of recently placed sand. “The black mud cannot be covered with the beige colour of the sand”, said one MEP.
In terms of the solutions to put an end to this environmental problem, Zdanoka said “the administration has a great responsibility”, from the local, regional and national governments through to the European administrations. She also pointed out that the main causes of the deteriorating are linked to economic activities, which in turn are a source of employment and income in the Region.
The recommendations and conclusions are not yet known, but whatever they are, she added that they should all be channelled through political procedure and have the majority consent of those involved.
