Hospodářské Noviny, July 21, 2009.

Ecology – sure, but to a point

Published on 21 July 2009 at 13:28
Hospodářské Noviny, July 21, 2009.

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More nuclear reactors, colossal canals, a tighter motorway grid: that is what the Czech Republic is liable to look like in 2020 if the government has its way with the regional planning policy it unveiled on 20 July, writes Hospodářské Noviny.

While the political parties are busy vying to out-ecologise one another in the eyes of the electorate, PM Jan Fischer’s transitional government has approved “a document that opens the doors to strategic transport and energy development”, explains the Czech financial daily. The white paper, “as essential as it is controversial”, entails enlarging the Temelín nuclear plant - an ongoing bone of contention with Austria - and building a new plant in northern Moravia.

“A document this important should have been approved by the incoming government that will be elected next October,” contends Petr Bendl, deputy leader of the Civic Democratic Party (ODS). Hospodářské Noviny stresses, however, that the major parties will profit by this decision: the Greens can complain they had no say in the affair while others can not be accused of having given in to pressure from energy lobbies.

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