Controversial opencast lignite mining
Polish court ends dismantling stop in Turow
07/18/2023, 6:23 p.m
In May, a Warsaw administrative court stopped the controversial lignite mining in Turow, Poland. Germany and the Czech Republic had complained about serious environmental consequences. For reasons of energy security, a court is now lifting the freeze again.
Poland’s highest administrative court has lifted the mining freeze for the Turow lignite opencast mine in the border triangle of Germany and the Czech Republic. The court upheld a lawsuit brought by operator PGE and the Polish Environment Directorate against a decision by the Warsaw Administrative Court. This had ordered the cessation of operations in May because the documents submitted on environmental compatibility were incorrect.
Among others, the city of Zittau and the environmental organization Greenpeace with their branches in the Czech Republic and Germany had complained. From their point of view, the consequences of open-cast mining operations for neighboring countries were not sufficiently taken into account. The lignite mining area is only a few kilometers away from Zittau in Saxony and Hradek nad Nisou in the Czech Republic.
However, the judges have now ruled that the public interest in continued operation had not been sufficiently taken into account in the first instance. There is “no doubt that energy security is a constitutionally protected value,” a court spokesman told the PAP news agency. It is a guarantee of the independence of the state and the security of the citizens.
Poland had extended the license for the mine until 2044. In the Czech Republic, it is feared that this could lower the groundwater level and increase noise pollution for residents. The German side also claims a lowering of the groundwater level and also refers to damage to buildings. In 2021, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) issued a temporary injunction to stop lignite mining. However, Poland did not comply. The court therefore imposed a fine of 500,000 euros into the EU budget for each day Poland failed to comply with the decision.