Country Report Czech Republic
- Details
- Hits: 2003
Since 1985 the coal mining of the State in the Czech Republic has been reduced from 26.4 million tons at that time to 14.9 million tons in the year 2000. 72 percent of the power generation are based on the use of coal or lignite. This high percentage will decline when a nuclear power station will be brought into operation. 4 million tons are exported mainly to Austria and Germany.
Today 47,000 miners out of 113,000 in1990 are still left.
In 2000 the International Monetary Fund demanded from Czechia among others much stricter criteria when granting social benefits, to cut pensions and social benefits or to revalue the Czech Crown in favor of the EU exports. Together with becoming a member of the EU the claims for extra social benefits for the miners provided by the pits when they get closed were cancelled according to a ministerial decree....