Poland has signed an agreement with the Czech Republic on the Turow mine, according to information provided by Climate and Environment Minister Anna Moskwa. The head of the ministry said that “constructive talks” had resulted in an agreement, the details of which, pending approval from Prague, the government would not disclose.
“I thank Minister Anna Hubáčková for today’s constructive conversation. The arrangements that have been made now require approval on the Czech side. We have agreed not to announce the details of the agreement until then,” Anna Moskwa informed.
In late February 2021, The Czech Republic has filed a complaint with the Court of Justice of the EU against Poland over the expansion of the Turów mine. At the same time, they demanded a so-called interim measure, an order to suspend the extraction. The Czech side believes that the mine expansion threatens Liberec residents’ access to water.
In May 2021, the EU Court of Justice ordered a suspension of extraction at the Turów mine. The Polish government did not comply, and as a result, on September 20 of last year, the Court fined Poland €500,000 per day for failing to implement the interim measure. The opinion of the Advocate General of the Court of Justice of the European Union in the case will be announced on February 3, 2022.
Polish-Czech negotiations for the Turów mine began in June 2021. The talks were discontinued on September 30 and resumed on November 5, but did not continue thereafter. Recently, it turned out that the Polish side has an ace up its sleeve.