BRATISLAVA, September, 13 (WEBNOVINY) – An apology that Slovak Prime Minister Iveta Radicova offered to Austria during her visit to Vienna on Sunday for the process used in the completion of two units of the nuclear power station Mochovce (EMO) was an expression of weakness, said opposition SMER-SD member of parliament and former Minister of Economy Lubomir Jahnatek. „I consider servile the apology of Prime Minister Iveta Radicova to the Austrian government for the process we used in the finalization of the atomic power station Mochovce. Inappropriate servility of the prime minister with regard to such a strategic project is an expression of weakness, which evokes undue inferiority of the Slovak towards the Republic of Austria,“ stated Jahnatek. According to him, Slovakia observed all standard procedures that are in accordance with international agreements in the finalization of the third and fourth units of the nuclear power station Mochovce.
During talks with her Austrian counterpart Werner Faymann in Vienna on Sunday, Prime Minister Iveta Radicova assured him that the completion of the nuclear power plant Mochovce will be transparent. Austria’s irritated reaction toward the project was the result of the previous Slovak government’s unilateral decision in May concerning end of international environmental impact assessment of the project of completion of the third and fourth units of the nuclear power plant Mochovce. According to the then statement of Austria’s Environment Minister Nikolaus Berlakovich, Slovakia made the decision without providing satisfying answers to Austria, while the steps of Slovak authorities did not correspond with interstate agreements. During her working visit to Austria on Sunday, the Slovak prime minister accepted Austria’s objections. She stressed that the safety of the power plant is important for Slovakia as much as for Austria. She made a commitment that all decisions of the Slovak government regarding the plant would be discussed within an interstate expert group and the Austrian government would be informed directly, too.
SITA