Zbudza - Part 3?
Although I have spent lot of time exploring Zbudza and the surrounding region, visiting the place, talking to residents and the Mayor completely changed my view.
Excavation field
My first stop
was a former administration areal and excavation field. The areal is in a
private ownership of a nearby chemical plant and the admission is prohibited. On
the site, there are 6 boreholes, 3 administration buildings and a platform for 4
brine cisterns. The areal has never been used and the only work which has to be
done is to cut the grass and do the regular checking if the excavations are
well maintained and brine is not leaking. A doorkeeper, who also lives in
Zbudza, explained me kindly the situation from more than 2O years ago, when inhabitants
were looking forward being employed in a new salt works. Although the factory
would not be located directly in Zbudza, but in nearby Michalovce or Strazske, residents from the village would get the priority
amongst other workers. Moreover, the taxes would increase the village budget
and possibly contribute towards improvements in infrastructure and services.
After few years of constant changes and ‘empty promises’, euphoria was replaced
by deep disappointment and people became very sceptical and negative about discussions
related to salt deposit. One resident said: “I wish brine was used for building
a brine baths. In that case, all residents and village would benefit from the
potential we have.”
Private land
Picture source: http://zbudza.sk/galeria/?gallery=galeria-obce#stavanie-maja-2012
The surrounding of the leaching field
Salt from Zbudza deposit. Exploited from the depth of 650m
Interviews with residents
One resident said: “I wish brine was used for building a brine baths. In that case, all residents and village would benefit from the potential we have.”
Another resident said: “From time to time, we find white spots in our garden. Brine rises above the ground and is crystallised into pure salt.”
I was informed
about the salt mining done in 1950’s, when rock salt was extracted from 3
shafts situated together with a big drilling tower directly in the middle of
the current playground. The salt was used primarily by the residents, as well
as was sold in the surrounding villages. Unfortunately, no more detailed information
and maps have been preserved.
Interview with the Mayor
During my interview with the Mayor, I aimed to explore the initiative the municipality could take in using the salt deposits. The main observations could be summarised as:
- The municipality works as an independent business. A Mayor is responsible for its organisation, funding and general functioning. He has to be clever about the money distribution for local shops, school, sewage, infrastructure, lighting….as well as take responsibility for cultural and social life and small tasks such as maintaining a web page
- Zbudza, as a small municipality with only 533 inhabitants does not receive sufficient funding from the government. The municipality struggles to finish building a proper infrastructure, not to mention starting planning the brine baths or possible salt works
- Except for the Mayor, there are no other people who would have the knowledge and be willing to take the initiative to start a business
- Many people with slightly higher education are working abroad
- The main sources of employment are factories in nearby Michalovce and Strazske
- The biggest priority for the municipality?- Sewage
-
The
biggest impediment for building a new salt works and brine baths in Zbudza?
Apart from insufficient funding and lack of entrepreneurs and specialists? - Land
ownership rights. The municipality doesn’t own any land, except for small
pieces in the village centre. The process of gaining land rights would take
several years.
Local shop
Kindergarten