Regional governor criticizes previous government’s Turow mine deal

The recently signed agreement between the Czech Republic and Poland regarding the continued operation of the Turow mine near the Czech border could have been signed already in September, the Governor of the Liberec Region Martin Půta (Mayors and Independents) said on Monday. The earlier date was missed, because former Andrej Babiš , the prime minister at the time, was worried that it could have an impact on the elections. Mr Babiš has since dismissed the governor’s statement as “lies”.

According to the agreement, signed earlier this month, Poland paid Czechia EUR 45 million as compensation for the effects of mining in Turow. In reaction, the Czech government withdrew its related charges at the Court of Justice of the European Union. However, some activists and opposition politicians have criticized the agreement as a bad deal.

According to Půta, the agreement that ended up being signed was already ready by September 30, days ahead of the elections.

The Turow brown coal mine is on the Polish side of Czechia’s northern border. Locals have been complaining for years of the associated environmental damage that the mining activity is causing.