Criminal probe opens over contamination in Klatovy region

Minister Červený has filed a criminal complaint against an unknown person with the High Public Prosecutor’s Office in Prague, demanding an investigation into the large-scale contamination of a former military site in the Klatovy region.

“If someone neglected their duties in the past, and this resulted in serious environmental damage worth hundreds of millions of crowns, then law enforcement authorities need to look into it,” Červený said.

In early September the minister reported that around a thousand tonnes of contaminated soil and 200 barrels of hazardous chemicals had been found at the former military site. In mid-September the army began an engineering and chemical survey of the area.

According to Prime Minister Andrej Babiš (ANO), the army is to secure the contaminated site so hazardous substances stop seeping further into the soil. Authorities will then select a contractor to decontaminate the site and neutralize the chemicals.

The minister originally said the cleanup would cost around 192 million crowns and last until June 2028. However, a new press release from the ministry now states that cleanup costs will exceed 150 million crowns.

Around Prague, based on reporting by novinky.cz