Czech Republic
Lidové Noviny, 25 November 2009

Brussels inspectors finger energy market

Published on 25 November 2009 at 13:27
Lidové Noviny, 25 November 2009

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A squad of 20 European Commission inspectors touches down in Prague on 25 November – and within an hour, headlines Lidové Noviny, “Brussels raids ČEZ headquarters.” The Commission suspects the Czech electric company of violating European rules on competition in the energy market. But the real reason for the blitz inspection, the Prague daily conjectures, might be “ČEZ’s rivalry” with the energy broker Czech Coal. If condemned for abuse of market dominance, ČEZ could be fined up to €720 million. And it is the Czech state, its main shareholder, that would have to foot the fine, Lidové Noviny points out. “Brussels has been called in to join the local fray,” remarks the paper, underscoring that the case is only one of a host of altercations between Czech political parties.

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