Locals protested against the uranium mining. (source: TASR)
The Economy Ministry has withdrawn from a memorandum of understanding in the energy sector with the Canadian company European Uranium Resources regarding energy, particularly uranium mining, dating from late 2012.
Minister Peter Žiga (Smer) informed about this after meeting Košice Mayor Richard Raši on January 23. The memorandum pertains to the Jahodná-Kurišková deposit near the eastern Slovak city of Košice.
The formal withdrawal from the memorandum will contribute to stopping the political misuse of the topic and making the public uncertain, Žiga said.
“It is a clear symbolic message that no radioactive substances will be extracted here against the will of the citizens,” the minister added, as quoted by the Sme daily.
Minister explains the withdrawal from memorandum
“From the very beginning, out of principle I have opposed uranium mining near Košice, so I complied with the mayor's request (from last November) and as the economy minister I have withdrawn from this memorandum starting today,” Žiga noted, as cited by the SITA newswire. “Six years have passed since the memorandum was signed, and no work has been done on the project in the long run. The law banned mining without the consent of citizens and a valid referendum in the municipality in question.”
The memorandum was a legally non-binding document that the Economy Ministry had long considered to be irrelevant and unfeasible partly because of fundamental changes in laws in connection with the ban on mining radioactive substances.
The memorandum was signed in December 2012 by former economy minister Tomáš Malatinský (a ruling Smer party nominee). It concerned the potential use of the Jahodná-Kurišková uranium deposit.
