Usti nad Labem, North Bohemia, Dec 7 (CTK) – The logistics centre of the Galileo European navigation system will not be seated in the Usti region, since Belgium has won a tender for its, President Milos Zeman told local representatives on the first day of his three-day visit to this region yesterday.
The Galileo administrative centre is in Prague.
The Czech Republic and Belgium were shortlisted for the seat of the Galileo logistics centre.
The Nupharo logistic park in Zdarek in the Usti region was being considered for this purpose.
Zeman said he had written to the respective EU commissioner a lobbyist´s letter expressing support for the Usti Region. However, the Belgian King had apparently the same idea and “I lost to him,” he added.
The Galileo logistics centre will be the only one in Europe to store reserve parts for the Galileo infrastructure, including parts of satellites, ground aerials and other IT components. The centre will also provide basic assembly works.
The location of the centre in the Usti Region would have brought some 50 new jobs directly and further jobs in related services, according to estimates.
The administrative part of the Galileo European Navigation Satellite System (GSA) has been seated in Prague since 2012.
The current task of the GSA headquarters is to coordinate the establishment of the Galileo programme. In the future, the centre in Prague should also supervise the Copernicus programme, focused on the satellite photographing of the Earth with the aim to protect the environment and deal with natural disasters.
