Prague, March 24 (CTK) – Defence Minister Karla Slechtova does not agree with the Communist (KSCM) MPs’ proposal for the abolition of the law banning Czech firms from participating in supplies to the Bushehr nuclear power plant in Iran, according to her office’s comments on the draft legislation.
Slechtova considers the law well-founded.
The Foreign Affairs Ministry has recommended that the government take a neutral stance on the Communists’ bill, while the Confederation of Industry supports it.
The minority government of Andrej Babis (ANO), which keeps ruling after it lost a confidence vote in the Chamber of Deputies and resigned in January, is to assess the KSCM’s bill next week.
Babis is negotiating with the Communists on their support for his second minority government he plans to form with the Social Democrats (CSSD).
The KSCM submitted the proposal for lifting the ban on supplies to the Bushehr plant in 2009 as well as during the previous election term.
The former coalition government of the CSSD, ANO and Christian Democrats (KDU-CSL) submitted the same proposal, but the Chamber of Deputies, the lower house of the Czech parliament, did not approve it.
Passed in 2000, the law reacted to the south Bohemian ZVVZ Milevsko company’s plan to supply air conditioning to Bushehr. The planned deal was criticised by Britain and the United States, which suspected Iran of misusing civilian programmes to cover up military nuclear projects.
The law bans Czech producers from exporting goods, services, documentation and information in connection with the Bushehr plant.
Slechtova says in her office’s stance that the ministry has always taken a negative on the KSCM’s bill and that the reasons for this remain valid. She also points to Israel’s fears.
There are repeated and rightful doubts about the allegedly peaceful character of the Iranian nuclear programme and fears whether the Bushehr nuclear plant and the whole programme cannot bee used for military purposes, the Defence Ministry says in its stance.
It cannot be ruled out either that the 2015 agreement to limit the Iranian nuclear programme becomes invalid and Iran will no longer be bound by the commitments made in it, Slechtova said.
“I still consider the existence of the above mentioned law substantiated,” she concluded.
