National campaigner, Slovakia
Email: juraj.melichar AT bankwatch.orgTel.: +421 903 473 816
Juraj worked with a Bankwatch member organisation in Bratislava and Friends of the Earth Europe in Brussels before officially joining Bankwatch in September 2016. As a national coordinator in Slovakia, he leads energy transformation through the EU Funds and regional re-development angles. He focuses on advocacy and coalition building for low carbon transition at the national level, and promotes media coverage and support for local energy transformation in the regions. Juraj speaks Slovak, English and German.
More from Juraj Melichar
Despite a marked drop in fossil-gas consumption, Slovakia supported district heating systems to run on fossil gas with EUR 55 million from the EU’s Modernisation Fund.
In April 2023, Slovakia submitted a request to the European Commission to update its recovery and resilience plan, which involves the addition of an REPowerEU chapter. But although the plan includes appropriate measures to improve the energy efficiency of buildings, it still gives the ‘green light’ to fossil gas boilers and nuclear-derived hydrogen, while prioritising the profits of large companies over social facilities for older persons and other vulnerable groups.
Thanks to a strong push from the European Commission, Slovakia’s national recovery and resilience plan allocates nearly three billion euros for green, climate-friendly investments. The plan includes commendable aims to renovate buildings, pursue renewable energy sources, clean up dirty industries and develop more sustainable transport infrastructure.
A dozen green deal steps for the new Slovak government
April 1, 2020 | Read more
With the appointment of a new centre-right government in Slovakia on 21 March, the Slovak Climate Initiative prepared a twelve point programme to move Slovakia closer to its climate and energy goals.
A new study commissioned by Friends of the Earth-CEPA and Bankwatch estimates that a planned waste incinerator in Novaky, Slovakia will not solve energy, climate or waste issues. According to the analysis, it will be almost impossible for the plant to meet supply quotas and new recycling targets. Considering the high level of CO2 emissions from waste incineration, this solution will furthermore continue to pollute the environment while also preventing Slovakia from investing in renewables.
