Thanks to the Action Plan, a further CZK 4 billion will go to the Moravian-Silesian Region to improve air quality

Press release: 12.01.2012

The Action Plan of the Ministry of the Environment for the Moravian-Silesian Region for 2012, discussed by the working group in Třinec, is yet another step to improve air quality and human health in the region. It concentrates on industry, households and children in kindergartens and elementary schools. In addition, it will provide a new four-billion crown subsidy for the region.

In the context of the Action Plan for this year, a new call will be announced for the Moravian-Silesian Region, with overall allocation of CZK 4 billion. “The money will be earmarked for projects of large industrial enterprises that make the greatest contribution to air pollution in the region. The scores awarded to the individual applications for support will take into consideration projects that encompass investments into new technology and not into simple maintenance of current operations,” said Minister Tomáš Chalupa.

In addition, a further CZK 20 million will be allocated in 2012 from the funds of the State Environmental Fund for the joint programme of the region and the Ministry of the Environment to support replacement of manually filled, solid-fuel heating units by low-emission automatic heating units. After the end of the current pilot programme, which was commenced at the beginning of January this year, a new call will be subsequently announced.

“We have already announced that we will first evaluate the current pilot call to determine the actual interest in subsidies. We have no intention of throwing away money for something that won’t work. In this respect, an acceptable state of affairs must be found,” said Minister Tomáš Chalupa.

The Ministry of the Environment will also begin to negotiate on the purchase of air filters for kindergartens and elementary schools in the Moravian-Silesian Region. In addition, children in areas with worse air quality will be able to travel for convalescence holidays in the framework of the new subsidy programme. The Ministry would also like to establish co-operation with health insurance companies. It will discuss this with the Ministry of Health.

Today the working group in Třinec also unanimously agreed on support for the construction of a bypass around Třinec. The high traffic levels in periods with worsened climatic conditions excessively burden the inhabitants of the city by pollutant emissions and also noise and vibrations from passing vehicles. The mayors of cities and towns in the Moravian-Silesian Region, headed by the Ministry, request that the Ministry of Transport set aside finances for the Třinec bypass from its national resources next year or from sources in Operational Programme “Transport 2” in 2014.

In the sphere of international co-operation, this year the Ministry of the Environment and Poland will together propose the content of a major international project to reduce emissions from important sources on both sides of the border. This project will be submitted to the European Commission for assessment before the end of the year.

Michaela Jendeková, tiskové oddělení MŽP