Hladík: Czechia lacks the clout to secure a delay or cancellation of new emissions allowances

Czechia currently lacks the clout to secure a delay to the introduction of emissions allowances for household heating and transport in the European Union, according to Environment Minister Petr Hladík (KDU-ČSL). Speaking on CNN Prima News’ Partie Plus today, Hladík said many countries had implemented and supported the system. The minister clashed with opposition ANO MP Radek Vondráček over who was responsible for approving the ETS 2 system. Vondráček believes the allowances will make people poorer and could even lead to the breakup of the European Union.

“The ETS 2 system has enormous potential to break up the entire European Union. People won’t tolerate being impoverished,” Vondráček said.

He pointed out that the proceeds are to go into the Social Climate Fund and then be redistributed. “It’s the Eurocrats’ desire: redistribute and rule,” said Vondráček, whose party has a chance of winning this year’s parliamentary election and forming the next government.

“The Czech government currently does not have a majority in Europe to either postpone or completely scrap this system,” Hladík said.

Debates will continue, he said. “Given that a lot of countries have already implemented it, want it and support it, that’s not going to happen,” the minister noted. Czechia has secured support for capping the allowance price at a nominal 45 euros (about 1100 crowns), he said.

Vondráček was angered by Hladík’s claim that former prime minister and ANO leader Andrej Babiš approved the European climate law in 2019 and that the Fit for 55 package of specific measures was subsequently approved under his government. “You’re lying and manipulating. Andrej Babiš did not approve Fit for 55. That is entirely down to your government,” Vondráček replied. According to him, Babiš agreed only to the general framework of European climate policy. “This is one of the biggest crimes you have committed,” he said of the current cabinet in connection with ETS 2. A review or any form of remedy is essentially impossible, Vondráček said.

Hladík pointed out that the allowances will not affect people connected to district heating or those who heat their homes with heat pumps or wood. One of their aims, he said, is also to reduce Europe’s dependence on imports of gas and oil.

Opposition SPD MP Karla Maříková said estimates suggest the allowances will economically ruin 50 million EU residents, including Czechs. “SPD will gladly rebel, even if it means a conflict with the European Union. We will not comply with this,” she stressed.

According to Michaela Šebelová, an MP for the governing STAN party, climate protection and emissions reduction are part of modern politics. Measures and the pace of their introduction must be appropriate, she said, so that they do not affect low- and middle-income households. “No government in Europe wants to commit economic suicide by making heating more expensive for ordinary people,” she said.

The EU already operates the ETS allowance system, which applies to power plants and industrial companies that produce greenhouse gases. Proceeds from their sale are to be used by EU member states for climate protection measures.