Poland and the Czech Republic: countries agree in dispute over coal mine

For years, the dispute over the Polish lignite mine Turow clouded relations with the Czech Republic – because of the serious environmental consequences for the neighboring country. Both sides have now agreed on a settlement.

Petr Fiala, the Czech Prime Minister, made it clear right from the start that the agreement reached was about more than the interests of the Czech neighbors of Turow: “In the last few days we have been conducting intensive negotiations with the sole aim of reaching an agreement that is fair to our citizens and at the same time allows us to continue the high level of relations with Poland that existed before the Turow case.”

Because Turow, the huge coal mine behind the Czech border in the far north, has put a considerable strain on relations as well as on the region. The government in Prague felt left out when Warsaw decided to expand the pit and extend the period of coal production to 2026. And the communities in the border area complained about noise, dust and sinking groundwater levels.

A compromise is cheaper than a fine

Only after the Czech Republic filed a lawsuit against the Turow operation did the Polish government enter into negotiations. The compromise is more favorable for them than a judgment against them. Because in the preliminary proceedings, the ECJ ruled in favor of the Czech Republic and imposed a fine of 500,000 euros for each day that the opencast mine continued to operate. That made waves on the Polish side.

“We managed to roll off a huge rock that has weighed on Czech-Polish relations in recent years,” Fiala said. And his Polish colleague Mateusz Morawiecki explains: “We have months of negotiations behind us, which were certainly difficult and bumpy, but ended with success.”

Barriers are designed to protect residents

The Czech Republic is now receiving 45 million euros from Poland for environmental damage, compensation measures and other projects. Barriers are to be erected in Turow to protect residents on the Czech side from noise and dust and prevent groundwater from draining away. A comprehensive monitoring system is to be set up to continuously record environmental developments. “It is very important for us that we have access to all important data so that we can react faster and better if there are problems,” explains Fiala.

The settlement agreement has a term of five years. Compliance with this is to be monitored by the European Court of Justice. Poland now expects the Czech Republic to withdraw its lawsuit, which was heard today in Luxembourg. According to Fiala, this will happen as soon as the compensation amount has been transferred.

So the house blessing between Prague and Warsaw is right again. In the country itself, Fiala still has to do some convincing. Martin Puta, the district captain of the Czech region of Liberec, which was particularly hard hit, was satisfied with the comparison. The environmental organization Greenpeace, however, described it as a scandal.