Poland must immediately cease lignite extraction activities in the Turów mine - the Court of Justice of the European Union ruled on Friday. The court's decision, prompted by a request by the Czech Republic, has been criticised by high-ranking officials of the ruling camp.
"No decision by any institution should place Polish citizens at risk, it cannot jeopardise the security of Polish people" - Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said in a statement.
"Polish government will not take any action that would undermine Poland's energy security" - he stressed.
"Turów mine is responsible for 4-7 percent of Poland's electric energy supply. "Functioning of Polish homes, schools, hospitals and businesses depend on its (the mine's) stable operating" - Morawiecki added.
"Today's decision by the CJEU was unprecedented and contrary to the basic rules of EU functioning. The undertaken measures were disproportionate" - the prime minister said.
The Czech Republic filed a lawsuit in February calling for a halt to activities at the mine, located near the Czech and German borders, saying Warsaw had violated the bloc's law by extending mining at Turów until 2026.
According to the EU high court, further lignite extraction at Turów would have a negative impact on Czech groundwaters.
The CJEU ordered the lignite extraction to be immediately suspended pending a final ruling.
"This is a scandal. The social and economic costs could be enormous" - said government minister Michał Wójcik.
Poland's PGE Group said in a statement that it could not agree to shut down the Turów mine as "it would automatically cut electricity supply for 3,7 million Poles".
Źródło: TVN24 News in English, PAP, curia.europa.eu