The Turkestan Ecological Department refused to provide a copy of the audit in response to a freedom of information request from Vlast. The agency initially explained that it feared legal action from Katco. This is not the first time that Katco has taken legal action against this regional administrative service.
Other documents obtained by Vlast show that the company had previously tried to overturn the convictions relating to this audit by filing a complaint against the administration. When Vlast sued the local authorities to obtain the audit and won their case, the Turkestan Ecological Department finally responded that they did not keep a record of it.
Analysis of court cases obtained by Vlast and EIF following this 2016 audit reveals various cases of pollution and related environmental fines — none of which Katco or Orano has ever publicly disclosed in any of its annual reports.
