International Atomic Energy Agency: Temelin is safe

The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Mohamed Baradei, said Austria had no reason to worry about the Czech Temelin nuclear power plant. In an interview for an Austrian magazine Profil, Mr. Baradei said Austrians should concentrate on the safety of the nuclear plant rather than on its existence.

The Temelin nuclear plant, situated in south Bohemia near the Austrian and German borders, has been sharply criticised by Austrian and Czech environmentalists as well as some Austrian politicians for allegedly being unsafe. Austrian opponents of Temelin have threatened on Thursday to renew blockades of Czech-Austrian border crossings in mid-September. A Czech-Austrian commission was set up earlier this year to deal with the Temelin issue. According to the chairman of the Czech part, Jan Kasal of the Christian Democrats, the blockades may disturb the committee's work.

Author: Ruth Fraňková