SCE SMM chief monitor calls to prevent ecological catastrophe in Donbas

12:10, 06.06.2017 1 min read

OSCE Special Monitoring Mission Chief Monitor Ertugrul Apakan calls no to allow an environmental catastrophe in Donbas and to protect water treatment facilities, chemical plants and agricultural enterprises from destruction.

"On this World Environment Day, I call on the sides to make every effort to protect these critical civilian infrastructures and by extension the environment," the press service of the OSCE SMM to Ukraine quotes Apakan as saying on Facebook.

He said: "The protection of critical civilian infrastructure is not only important to the livelihood of those living in Donetsk and Luhansk regions, but also conflict-related damage to water filtration facilities, chemical facilities and agricultural businesses presents a major threat to the environment. Should these facilities be damaged, it could produce in an ecological disaster, resulting in more hardship to an already deeply affected population on both sides of the contact line."