Pavel: The head of the European Commission will urgently and transparently address the situation regarding Dukovany

Brussels – The President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen promised that she would address the situation regarding the tender for the construction of new nuclear blocks in Dukovany quickly and transparently. Czech President Petr Pavel said this to reporters after today’s meeting with the heads of EU institutions in Brussels.

The tender was won by the South Korean company KHNP, but the Regional Court in Brno blocked the signing of the construction agreement with a preliminary measure. The preliminary measure was requested by the French company EDF, which was unsuccessful in the tender and whose subsequent objections were rejected by the antitrust office.

The French Vice-President of the European Commission Stéphan Séjourné sent a letter to the Czech Minister of Industry and Trade Lukáš Vlček at the beginning of the month, urging him to postpone the signing of the contract. EDF is requesting a review from the Commission to determine whether KHNP is receiving unauthorized state subsidies.

According to Pavel, the tender has encountered difficulties and there is a risk of delays that could have multiple negative consequences for the Czech Republic. The President stated that von der Leyen promised him “that she would address the situation very quickly and transparently.” He also noted that his aim was not to convince the head of the EC of any non-standard actions, but to explain the Czech position to her. According to Pavel, von der Leyen said that the information he provided differs from what she received from within the Commission.

The President also pointed out that Minister Vlček and Commissioner Séjourné agreed on expert and political discussions in the near future. Until these take place, the European Commission should not take any preliminary measures, according to Pavel. From the Czech side, according to the head of state, it is not about obtaining any concessions, but about transparent and swift action to avoid further delays or potential jeopardy to the entire project. (May 20)