MŽP: The principles of territorial development of the JMK are in conflict with the law

Brno - The South Moravian Region is proceeding in the creation of the principles of territorial development (ZÚR), a key planning document, in violation of the Environmental Impact Assessment Act. The Ministry of the Environment stated this in a two-week-old statement, claiming that the region has ignored its requirements. The document is available on the EIA portal. Councilor Antonín Tesařík (KDU-ČSL), whose responsibilities include urban planning, told ČTK that the region will ensure that the final proposal for the principles of territorial development is in accordance with the law.

In its January SEA assessment, the ministry instructed the region to address transportation infrastructure in Brno and its surroundings based on a forthcoming study within three years at the latest. However, the region did not incorporate this requirement into the proposal for the principles of territorial development. "The SEA statement repeatedly pointed out that, from the ministry's perspective, one of the deficiencies of the principles of territorial development is the unresolved traffic congestion in the city of Brno and its immediate surroundings, along with all negative consequences for the environment and public health related to this situation," wrote the director of the ministry's Environmental Impact Assessment Department, Evžen Doležal, in the evaluation.

Postponing the issues of Brno and its surroundings is the main concern for critics of the region's approach. The region claims that it lacks sufficient studies and materials after more than ten years of preparation to decide on the routing of key transport routes in the regional capital and its surroundings. For over a year, it has promised a study from which a later update will be derived. However, it postponed commissioning this study until after the issuance of the principles. The content of the regional principles of territorial development does not even include a justification for why the region ignored the ministry's comments. "Since the SEA statement is non-binding, the region has the option to revise the proposal or justify why it did not take the comments into account," said the ministry spokesperson Dominika Pospíšilová to ČTK.

According to Tesařík, it is essential that the principles of territorial development specify a timeline for the preparation of a territorial study. "Its preparation will commence immediately after the issuance of the ZÚR. After entering data about the territorial study into the records of planning activities, an update will be prepared without delay. We believe we have fulfilled the requirements," stated Tesařík. The region promises that the update will be completed within three years, but it is merely a promise with no penalties for non-fulfillment. This statement will still be added to the proposal.

At the same time, the region is urgently addressing public comments, which could be submitted until June 15. It has not yet disclosed how many comments were received and what their nature is. The current coalition of the ČSSD and the Christian Democrats intends to publish the document before the October elections. A previous version was canceled by a court four years ago due to the region’s illegal proceedings. South Moravia is the only region lacking principles of territorial development, which prevents the construction of any major transport projects, and since joining the European Union, not a single kilometer of highways has been constructed in the region. Construction of a highway to Vienna is nowhere in sight.

The ministry also pointed out that the region has not addressed the comment regarding flood control measures for the floods of the Danube, specifically in the Morava river basin, according to government resolution. Another comment is that the region has not addressed newly declared or modified European significant sites.