" Prague preparing sharply-worded response to Austria's criticism of Temelin environmental impact study "

["Franta, Jaroslav" <frantaj@AECL.CA>]

Radio Prague (Vysilani do zahranici CRo)

News: 26. 04. 2001



Austrian Environment Minister explains lack of presence at Temelin hearing



Austria's Environment Minister has explained why Austrian representatives

failed to attend a public hearing into the Temelin nuclear power plant on

Wednesday, saying the hearing was not in line with the environmental

assessment process agreed between Prague and Vienna. Wilhelm Molterer said

Wednesday's hearing, in the South Bohemian city of Ceske Budejovice, had

taken place despite growing alarm in Austria over technical problems during

testing at the plant. Mr Molterer said the testing phase should be halted

due to persistent problems with a turbine. On Tuesday Austrian Chancellor

Wolfgang Schussel said his government did not consider the environmental

impact study on Temelin, agreed between Prague and Vienna last year, a

sufficient guarantee of safety. An unnamed source at the Czech Foreign

Ministry told the Czech News Agency that Prague was preparing a

sharply-worded response to Austria's criticism of the environmental impact

study.



Anti-Temelin activists to hold major protest on Friday



A spokesman for Austria's anti-nuclear committee has said a major

demonstration is being planned for this Friday at the Wullowitz border

crossing between Austria and the Czech Republic. The demonstration will

commemorate the 15th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, but will

also highlight problems involving Temelin. Politicians and well-known

personalities from the arts world are expected to address the rally and the

organisers say that they cannot rule out "spontaneous blockades" of the

border. A series of border blockades over Temelin earlier this year led to

strained relations between Prague and Vienna, with the Czech side claiming

the Austrian authorities were not doing enough to stop them.



Observers ask whether new tabloid will really be Super



The Czech Republic was introduced to a new tabloid newspaper on Wednesday.

Called Super, it goes head to head with the country's leading tabloid Blesk.

Super hit newsstands across the country with a front-page story called

"Austria has its own Temelin," a piece with political overtones about the

Triga II nuclear research reactor in Vienna. Super's publisher, e-Media,

planned an initial press run of 300,000. The country's leading newspaper,

Mlada Fronta Dnes, enjoys circulation of about 360,000 copies a day. The

German news agency DPA said on Wednesday there were questions surrounding

e-Media's owners' political ties, adding that the owners could try to use

the paper to influence voters before the Czech Republic's next elections,

scheduled for spring 2002.



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