Hladík: Czech-Polish relations on environmental issues have improved

The signing of the Czech-Polish agreement on addressing the impact of mining at the Turów mine and a memorandum on improving air quality on both sides of the border helped stabilize relations between Czechia and Poland on environmental issues. Cooperation on nature and landscape conservation is also very good. Environment Minister Petr Hladík (KDU-ČSL) said this in an interview with CTK. He has invited the new Polish environment minister, Paulina Hennig-Kloska, on an official visit to Prague.

„We have made significant progress on the Czech-Polish agreement, and the Czech Republic now has the authority to monitor noise, dust and groundwater at the Turów mine and enter its premises. We also monitor the mine using remote sensing, and Poland provides us with a range of other information. Other forms of cooperation are also working well, including on air quality and between the Czech Krkonoše National Park and its Polish counterpart,“ Hladík said.

Monitoring the impact of coal mining at the Polish lignite mine Turów on Czech territory is part of the agreement on addressing the impact of mining, signed by the prime ministers of Czechia and Poland on 3 February last year. Poland then paid Czechia 45 million euros (1.1 billion Kč) in compensation for the damage caused, of which 35 million euros (859 million Kč) went to the Liberec Region’s account in the „Turow Fund“.

The Turów mine, near the Czech-Polish border, supplies coal mainly to the adjacent power plant. PGE Group, which owns both the mine and the power plant, plans to continue mining there until 2044. The mine is set to gradually expand along the road from Zittau to Bogatynia. Residents on the Czech side of the border are concerned not only about noise, but especially about the loss of groundwater, as well as increased dust and land subsidence. The Polish side has already built an underground barrier intended to prevent water from flowing away, while an earth embankment is expected to protect people on the Czech side from noise and dust from the mine.

According to Hladík, Czechia and Poland face a wide range of environmental problems. In addition to the situation around Turów, they are working together to address issues such as air pollution. In mid-November this year, Hladík agreed with then Polish Environment Minister Anna Moskwa that both countries would work to improve air quality on both sides of the Czech-Polish border. Among other things, the two states will secure funding for this, including money for regional air-quality improvement programmes, and regularly exchange information on planned measures through an intergovernmental expert group.