Cabinet approves valuable environmental clean-up contract

The cabinet has approved the issuing of a valuable tender to clean up environmental damage caused by former state-owned companies, according to press reports on Tuesday. The contract, which will go to one company, could be worth up to CZK 115 billion – over USD 7 billion. Finance Minister Miroslav Kalousek admitted awarding the huge tender to one firm involved the risk of corruption. But he said the fact it would receive so much attention lessened that danger. Minister Kalousek said a one-contract approach was necessary, as otherwise the Czech Republic would not succeed in repairing environmental damage by 2015 and would face sanctions.