Although Poland will pay a fine of 500,000 euros for each day of operation, the Turów coal mine will not stop mining. However, the European Court of Justice ruled on Monday that the extraction of energy raw materials must stop.
The European Court of Justice in Luxembourg ruled on the basis of an action brought against Poland by the Czech Republic. According to the Czechs, the Turów lignite mine has a negative effect on the environment and especially on the groundwater level on the Czech side. However, Poles have long rejected this view, and the government has now criticized the ruling of the European Court of Justice.
Poland and the Czech Republic sat at the negotiating table in June, saying that they wanted to find a compromise. The Polish government claims that the rulings of the European Court of Justice practically sabotage these negotiations, stating that Turów will remain in operation. Among other things, the mine is the most important employer in the region and supplies coal to thermal power plants, which are a significant source of electricity in Poland.
The Polish cabinet also criticized the amount of the fine, which is half a million euros for each day of operation of the mine. “A fine is a completely inadequate situation and it is unfair. It reduces the chances of reaching an agreement, “said the Polish government.
