Polish mining trade unions staged a protest in Warsaw in front of the seat of the EU Commission Represenation. The coal miners claim their jobs are in danger due to the latest EU executive directive assuming significant reduction of methane emissions in all member states from 2027.
The mining unions staged a protest in front of the seat of the EU Commission Representation in central Warsaw. The miners gathered there exactly at noon on Friday (March 24).
The demonstration "No to Methane Directive" was organized by "Sierpień 80" Free Trade Union.
The miners were equipped with flares and banners. They laid a casket in the street with an inscription saying "Polish mining".
"We've witnessed a few very intense and very loud minutes," said TVN24 reporter Paweł Łukasik who was at the protest.
The manifestation was secured by the police in large numbers. "We haven't reported any serious incidents so far," said Małgorzata Wersocka of Warsaw Metropolitan Police.
The officer added that drivers and passersby were encoutering many difficulties as a section of Jasna Street up to Moniuszki Street had been closed, while traffic on Świętokrzyska Street grinded to a halt between Marszałkowska and Nowy Świat.
Against methane directive
"This time it's about the methane directive. It is to become effective in 2027. The norms it introduces assume penalties for methane emmissions higher than 5 tonnes per 1,000 tonnes of extracted coal. In 2031, these norms are to be even more restrictive and stand at 3 tonnes per 1,000 tonnes of coal. What does it mean for Polish mines? Their liquidaton," the mining unions wrote in the protest announcement. According to the organizers, "virtually none of Polish mines is able to meet these norms".
"The majority of our mines are methane mines which emit between 8-14 tonnes of methane per 1,000 tonnes of extracted coal. This shows that nearly 90% of Polish mines will not be able to fulfil these EU restrictions. That goes both for mines extracting coal for energy (PGG, Tauron Wydoycie), and all mines of Jastrzębska Spółka Węglowa extracting coking coal," the miners say. The also claim the directive will shut the mines down and destroy tens of thousands of jobs.
"Silesia is facing a catastrophy on an unimaginable scale. It will be a catastrophy for all Poles. Liquidation of Polish mines will make us depend on expensive foreign coal or even more expensive gas. Extraction of 1 tonne of coal in Poland today costs approx. 400-500 zlotys. Imported coal, of a very poor quality, costs between 1500-2000 zlotys. Energy produced from this kind of coal will be far more expensive," the protesting miners warn.
Źródło: TVN24 News in English, tvnwarszawa.pl
Źródło zdjęcia głównego: TVN24