|
We submitted our critical comments on the conception of burnt-out nuclear fuel and radioactive waste disposal
in the Czech Republic. We presented these comments at a public debate which was part of EIA process. In our opinion,
the conception leans towards promotion of nuclear energy, it failed to present other options for burnt-out nuclear fuel
disposal and it does not deal with the liquidation of wastes as the result of uranium mining. The ministry of the Environment
issued a negative judgement in the bounds of the EIA process.
We took part in the process of 78 modifications to the auxiliary plant building (this process was initiated on the basis of
a court action by South Bohemian Mothers in the year of 1999). Our comments concerned a general assessment of all modifications,
the underestimation of health risks connected with the operation of Temelín NPP and of a potential serious incident.
Unfortunately, the Ministry of the Environment issued a positive judgement of the modifications to the auxiliary plant building.
A judgement of the process of 78 modifications has not been issued yet.
We publicly boycotted the process of the environmental impact assessment agreed in Melk. It was entirely formal
and had serious flaws – there was no time for sufficient preparation of a high-standard study, the impact of a serious incident
was not assessed, the zero option was not evaluated either.
We organized a seminar for the public, mayors and doctors on the impact of low doses of radiation on human health.
Dr. Scholz of Munich University, the author of a study on the influence of the low doses of radiation, spoke at this seminar.
We had the study translated into Czech and we are going to send it to mayors and doctors, and discuss it with politicians.
We organized a Chernobyl memorial event for the public, at which Petr Vacek, from the Ypsilon theatre in Prague, appeared.
Together with the Duha movement, the Calla association and the Ecological Legal Service, we discussed with politicians
the forth-coming nuclear law amendment (the comments were prepared by the Ecological Legal Service and Calla association).
We tried to push for the participation of municipalities and the general public in the amendment (in the amendment as it stands
only the operator is to participate), an increase in the financial responsibility for a possible incident, so as to put it
in accordance with international conventions (e.g. the Vienna convention) and an access to information about nuclear safety
(which are considered to be business secrets). Unfortunately, the bill was passed by the parliament in the original form
and our comments were not considered. The Four-party coalition, who were on our side were outvoted by the Civic Democrats,
the Social Democrats and Communists.
Within the bounds of the legal project we filed a lawsuit at the High Court in Prague against the České Budejovice regional
council. The High Court confirmed the decision of the České Budejovice district council, which refused to provide
us with original documentation for the auxiliary plant building at Temelín NPP, even though we had a right to them
by law. The court terminated the lawsuit this January. We will probably turn to the Constitutional Court.
Further we lodged a complaint to the Constitutional Court because we had not been accepted as participants of some
modification processes at Temelín NPP. We made an appeal to the České Budejovice regional court, which subsequently
allowed changes in the auxiliary plant building at Temelín NPP. None of these processes have yet been finished.
The court action between the South Bohemian Mothers and the State Office for Nuclear Safety concerning the reduction
of the risk zone from 20 km to 13 km is yet to be concluded. (We should have been part of this process but this
did not happen.
Some planned SBM activities for 2002
Together with a sociological agency, we will carry out a survey on the impact of the operation
of Temelín NPP on the development of South Bohemia, especially focused on the development of tourist industry.
We suppose that the study results will show that the operation of Temelín NPP has had a negative influence on the region’s
development. In connection with these theme we will organize a press-conference to address especially regional
politicians.
Parliamentary, Senate and Regional Council elections will take place this year. For us this will be another opportunity
to address politicians on the themes of Temelín NPP, MAPE Mydlovary among others. Even before the elections we would like
to send politicians a number of questions (Temelín NPP, privatization, MAPE Mydlovary etc.) We will put together their answers
along with the questions as part of a catalogue. This brochure will be made available to the public and will help them
differentiate between the political parties on this theme.
We will also meet the representatives for the European association commission with whom we would mainly like to discuss
the issue of technical problems at Temelín NPP. According to the Melk agreement the Czech side should solve these problems.
In our opinion it is not possible to solve these problems ”on the hoof” i.e. during the start-up phase. It is necessary
to terminate the testing at Temelín NPP and solve the technical problems before start-up.
We will pursue the court processes which we have already initiated. We will continue in the monitoring of air movement
around Temelín NPP with the help of balloons. We will follow the privatization of the electroenergetic industry,
and in form of discussion with politicians try to push for the formal privatization in which the privatization
of plants and distribution companies will be separated and in which the privatization of nuclear plants will also
be separated.
|
