Poland has acknowledged it was wrong to proceed with changes to the
Bogatyne city plan, which opened the way for the expansion of the Turów
brown coal mine in the close proximity to the Czech border, the Czech
Environment Ministry said on Thursday.
The unilateral move raised protests from both the Czech Environment
Ministry and the Liberec region. According to them, the Polish side did not
wait for the conclusion of bilateral consultations on changes to the
land-use plan and failed to take the Czech Republic’s reservations into
account. The Czech Republic called for an extraordinary meeting on the
issue last week.
Despite unfinished negotiations with the Czech Republic, Bogatyne earlier
approved a change to the zoning plan, which, among other things, allowed
the extension of the mine by 14.6 hectares towards the border with the
Czech Republic.
The Czech side had requested information on the impact of the change on
water resources, agricultural land and other habitats, as well as air and
noise pollution on the Czech side of the border.
The Polish Directorate-General for Environmental Protection should deliver
the information before Wednesday, August 28, when the Czech and Polish
governments are to hold a joint session in Warsaw.