Rabat- Morocco’s Environment Minister in the caretaker government Hakima El Haite stated that she has assigned members of the Environmental Police to investigate the issue of “Ukraine wastes”.

Some Moroccan media such as Ukrinform newspaper published news on Morocco importing more than USD215 million of wastes from Ukraine in 2016.

Haite Told Asharq Al-Awsat that she has issued instructions for relevant authorities to check the information published and report back to her with details on it. She also denied licensing waste entry into Morocco and stressed that her responsibility is restricted to granting environment-related certificates of conformity.

The Moroccan environment minister said that the purpose of spreading this news is to defame her unique career path. According to her, those who published the news should have made sure it is true before, considering this as an evidence that their aim is to cause a riot.

Haite highlighted that the ministry of environment has no information regarding the news published in the Moroccan media. She also reminded the people of the wastes imported from Italy the year before, assuring that they represent a source of alternative energy and represent no risk to the environment or the citizens.