Brussels – Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, assured that she would address the tender process for the construction of new nuclear units in Dukovany promptly and transparently. This statement was made by Czech President Petr Pavel during a press briefing following his meeting with EU leaders in Brussels.
The tender was awarded to the South Korean firm KHNP, but a preliminary injunction from the Regional Court in Brno has halted the signing of the construction agreement. This injunction was sought by the French company EDF, which lost the tender and whose objections were later dismissed by the antitrust authority.
Earlier this month, Stéphan Séjourné, the French Vice-President of the European Commission, wrote to Czech Minister of Industry and Trade Lukáš Vlček, urging a delay in finalizing the contract. EDF is seeking a review from the Commission to establish whether KHNP is benefitting from unauthorized state aid.
According to Pavel, the tender is facing challenges, raising concerns about potential delays that could adversely affect the Czech Republic. He conveyed that von der Leyen assured him, “she would handle the situation swiftly and transparently.” Pavel emphasized that his goal wasn’t to persuade the Commission’s president to take any unconventional actions, but rather to clarify the Czech Republic’s stance. He noted that von der Leyen stated that the information she received differed from what he provided.
Pavel also mentioned that Minister Vlček and Commissioner Séjourné agreed to hold expert and political discussions soon. He indicated that, until those talks occur, the European Commission should refrain from taking any preliminary actions. He stressed that, from the Czech perspective, the focus is not on seeking concessions but on ensuring transparent and prompt measures to prevent further delays or threats to the entire project. (May 20)
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