The finished elections in the Czech Republic, contrary to the Polish government's announcements, will probably not bring a sudden turn in the Turów dispute. The formation of a new government in the Czech Republic is likely to be a long wait, and until then there is little hope of a change in the Czech attitude to the negotiations. And the counter of penalties for the operation of the open pit will relentlessly measure the next millions.
October 9 marked the end of two days of parliamentary elections in the Czech Republic. The election to the Chamber of Deputies of the Czech Republic Parliament were won by the right-wing coalition SPOLU with a small advantage over Prime Minister Andrej Babisz's Ano movement.
"What does this mean for Poland, hoping for a quick end to the Turów mine issue? It turned out that hopes that the elections in the Czech Republic would actually change something about Turow were in vain. The Czechs will now be busy forming a stable parliamentary majority - it can be formed by both Ano and SPOLU. It all depends on who the Pirates and STAN get along with,” reports money.pl [1].
“Either way, coalition negotiations may take a long time and so far, it is difficult to expect a breakthrough in the Turów mine dispute. After the previous elections in the Czech Republic, the process of forming a government took over eight months," said Łukasz Ogrodnik, an analyst at the Polish Institute of International Affairs, in Radio eM[2].
“Czech elections won't fix the Turow problem if the government doesn't use this conflict to make a real transition away from coal within a decade,” emphasized Radosław Gawlik, president of EKO-UNIA association, before the election. “Instead of benefiting from over PLN 1 billion of EU funds for a Just Transition, we will pay EU penalties for an unnecessary dispute with the Czech Republic. Instead of receiving support from the EU to build an alternative non-carbon economy in the Zgorzelec region, we are "subsidizing" the EU”[3].
On October 11 we have a fine of PLN 50 million to pay. If we do not pay it, as the Polish government declares, the amount will be deducted from the subsidies granted to us by the EU. So, the lack of an agreement on Turów will be a financial burden for all Poles [4].
Sources:
- https://www.money.pl/gospodarka/wybory-w- Bohemach-sprawa-turowa-sie-komplikuje-6692052072172160a.html
- https://www.radioem.pl/doc/7154681.Lukasz-Ogrodnik-Po-wyborach-w-Czechach-niepredko-moze-sie
- https://www.radiowroclaw.pl/articles/view/112417/Anna-Zalewska-Nie-bedziem-placic-za-Turow-Nie-ma-zadnej-podstawy-prawnej
