WARSAW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 05th October, 2021) Poland is ending all negotiations with the Czech Republic over coal mining at the Turow mine, Polish deputy foreign minister Marcin Przydacz said on Monday.
On September 20, the European Court of Justice ruled that Poland must shut down the coal mine, which Prague believes is disrupting its water supply, and pay the Czech Republic $581,777 every day until it does so. A week later, Poland offered to compensate the Czech Republic for not closing the Turow coal mine located on the border between both countries.
"At this time, we do not see any point in continuing talks because they have not brought any positive outcome," the official said on Telewizja Polska state broadcaster.
Poland did everything in its power to work out an agreement with the Czech side, the deputy foreign minister averred. Polish negotiators visited Prague 17 times thus far and provided the Czech side with a number of proposals; however, Warsaw concluded that the Czechs were not interested in resolving the issue, the minister went on.
Przydacz noted that Poland will now concentrate "on a European direction" to resolve the matter.
"If the Czechs do not see the possibility for an agreement, then this will negatively affect Polish-Czech relations," he added.
The argument over the mine may affect neighborly relations, the official said.
Later on Monday, Czech Republic's Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Eva Davidova said that Poland's proposal to sign a two-year agreement with Prague on the mine when it will continue to operate for another 23 years unacceptable.
"In international law, there is nothing unusual about the fact that when protecting national interests, contracts are signed for a long period of time. It is unacceptable for the Czech Republic that the Polish side at the final stage of negotiations came with a proposal to terminate the mine agreement after two years, while coal mining under the current permit will continue for another 23 years," Davidova said.
In May 2021, the European Court of Justice ordered Poland to fully stop mining operations at the Turow coal mine. In its suit, Prague cited the potential environmental damage that Turow may cause to the population of the border areas, including a shortage of clean drinking water. The Polish government refused to obey the verdict, saying it could undermine the country's energy security.
