Debrecen4U
September 7, 2026
Government Office to Hold Public Hearing on EcoPro
From 4:00 p.m. on 7 September, the Hajdú-Bihar County Government Office will hold a public hearing as part of the official procedure concerning the amendment of EcoPro’s integrated environmental permit. at the Kölcsey Centre. The Government Office’s statement issued on Sunday morning highlights that residents and organisations can ask their questions in person at the meeting, while their comments will be taken into account by the authority during the procedure.
The focus of the public hearing will be on the contents of the application submitted, the statement says. As part of the hearing, the Government Office will inform residents about the ongoing permitting procedure, while the applicant will explain exactly what it plans to change compared with the previous plans. Residents and non-governmental organisations will have the opportunity to ask questions in person about the investment and the procedure. To ensure that those interested receive as accurate and comprehensive information as possible, the Government Office will be represented at the hearing not only by environmental specialists, but also by staff from other relevant fields.
The Government Office said that, since the public hearing is also open to the press, those unable to attend for any reason can follow the proceedings through media reports. The authority will also publish the full audio recording of the public hearing on its website within 15 days.
However, it is expressly stated that, in order to comply with personal rights and data protection regulations, those directly concerned, including residents, may not make video or audio recordings at the public hearing.
Monday’s public hearing is not being held by the Mayor or the Clerk of Debrecen, but by the environmental protection authority of the Hajdú-Bihar County Government Office. The Municipality and the Government Office are two separate organisations with different responsibilities and powers. It can often go unnoticed that they are not the same authority, even though it is important to understand who is holding the hearing and who is responsible for it – in this case, the public hearing concerning the environmental protection matter.
The rules governing public hearings are laid down in Government Decree 314/2005 (XII.25), which precisely defines the responsibilities of the various parties in connection with a public hearing. This is a procedural act within an environmental regulatory procedure that is currently under way, and conducting it falls within the responsibilities and powers of the Government Office.
EcoPro has requested an amendment to its existing integrated environmental permit. As part of this environmental permitting procedure, the environmental protection authority is required to hold a public hearing for the purpose of involving the affected public. In this context, the environmental protection authority informs the affected public about the ongoing permitting procedure, while the applicant explains exactly what it plans to change compared with the previous plans.
The Mayor has no responsibilities or powers whatsoever in relation to this public hearing. The Clerk’s role is limited to providing a venue free of charge for the duration of the public hearing and publishing the notice concerning the hearing.
The legislation also stipulates that comments may be submitted to the environmental protection authority or to the Clerk of the local municipality responsible for the location of the public hearing up until the public hearing itself, i.e. until 4:00 p.m. on Monday.
Page 3 of the Government Office’s statement provides detailed information on how comments can be submitted before the public hearing. The environmental protection authority will assess these comments in its decision.
Source and photo credit: dehir.hu
