PM: Explosion at munitions depot caught the authorities unprepared

Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka has admitted there is no legislative framework for dealing with emergencies such as the devastating explosion at the Vrbětice munitions depot in Moravia. Speaking to journalists during a working visit to the affected region the prime minister said that the emergency had caught the authorities unprepared. This is an exceptional situation, unprecedented in the country’s modern history, and it has shown gaps in our legislation that need to be filled, Mr. Sobotka said. The prime minister said there were no emergency plans which could be put in place for the transfer of munitions untouched by the blast and no alternate grounds where they could be moved. The devastating explosion at the Vrbětice depot took place on October 16th and almost a month later pyrotechnics still don’t have the situation fully under control. The army is now guarding the site and should help with clean-up work. The munitions belonged to a private company which had leased the storage site.