Europe’s top court tells Poland to suspend extraction at mine, Polish officials outraged

Senior officials in Warsaw have condemned a "scandalous" decision by Europe’s top court that Poland should immediately suspend extraction at a coal mine near the Czech border.

Michał Wójcik.

Photo: PAP/Roman Zawistowski

The decision by the Court of Justice of the European Union on Friday came after a motion by the Czech Republic.

A judge said that further lignite extraction at the Turów mine in southwest Poland was likely to have a negative impact on groundwater levels on Czech territory.

The judge said extraction must be suspended pending a final ruling.

Polish government minister Michał Wójcik said: "This is a scandal. The social and economic costs could be enormous."

He added that extraction at the Turów mine has been underway for decades.

(pk)

Source: PAP/IAR