19.12. 2007
Prague- The Czech Republic cannot do without nuclear power in the future, Interior Minister Ivan Langer (Civic Democrats, ODS) told journalists today after a meeting of the National Security Council that dealt with the report on energy security.
However, the priority task is to start saving energy and achieve the highest possible diversity of energy sources and its suppliers, Langer said.
Deputy PM Martin Bursik, chairman of the junior ruling Greens, who pushed through the pledge not to extend nuclear energy sources in the government policy statement, said the report had been taken into account. Bursik refused to comment on it.
Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg (for Greens) said people must save energy first and the Czech Republic must consider further fuel sources in connection with the development of nuclear power.
Limited gas sources and instability of the regimes in the countries from which gas is supplied to Europe must also be taken into consideration, Schwarzenberg added.
The nuclear power issue might split the fragile centre-right coalition of the Civic Democrats (ODS), the Christian Democrats (KDU-CSL) and the Greens. While the Greens oppose further developments of nuclear power plants, a large part of the senior ruling ODS and the KDU-CSL are not against it.
However, the government coalition recently voted unanimously against the left-wing opposition bill that would transfer the decision-making on energy strategy from the government to the Chamber of Deputies in the future.
No comments:
Post a Comment