President Paul reassures: Fears of radioactive waste storage are often unnecessary

During his visit to the Temelín Nuclear Power Plant, Czech President Petr Pavel responded to public concerns about the planned radioactive waste repository. According to him, people are often afraid unnecessarily because they do not have enough information about the issue. Deep repositories, he said, are completely safe.

Pavlov's visit to Temelin was accompanied by a discussion on the Janoch site, one of the candidate areas for a deep-sea repository. The President stressed that safety is assured thanks to strict standards and international supervision. Czech Television summarised it on Platform X: "People are often worried about the storage of radioactive waste unnecessarily, President Petr Pavel said after visiting the Temelín power plant. He said the public lacks more information about the issue."

Paul also suggested that municipalities involved in the repository project could be compensated, which could alleviate their concerns. This view reflects a long-standing problem of mistrust between the state and local communities, as other sources have shown.

Already in 2020, the government has narrowed the choice of sites for the repository to four, including Janoch near Temelín. However, opposition from local residents persists. For example, Českobudějovický deník quoted a joint statement by the mayors of Hluboká nad Vltavou, Dříteň, Olešník and Temelín, who rejected the repository. They said that the region is already overloaded with infrastructure projects, which increases their concerns. "Our region is already carrying a heavy burden, we refuse to carry any more," the statement said. A similar position was previously presented by the Nechcemeuloziste.cz initiative, which brings together opponents of the repository in Janoch. Official position and safety

On its website (sujb.gov.cz), the Radioactive Waste Repositories Administration (RRAO) stresses that deep-sea repositories meet strict safety standards. According to SÚRAO, sites like Janoch are carefully selected based on geological surveys, which supports Pavel's claim of safety. The website states: "Deepwater storage is designed to protect the environment and future generations." Yet municipal resistance persists, suggesting that technical security alone is not enough to win trust.

Why do concerns persist?

Despite assurances of safety, the public remains sceptical. Locals feel overlooked and fear the environmental and property value impacts. In addition, there is historical precedent for the state promising security but later facing criticism. These factors explain why the president's call for greater awareness may not immediately ease tensions.

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