The Czech President Klaus expressed his incomprehension regarding the Austrian distaste for nuclear energy. Austria has not only refused to use nuclear sources but also has been active on international field against it. This has been causing frictions in the Czech-Austrian relations for more that 20 years already, mainly because of the Czechs building their largest nuclear complex in Temelin just next to the Austrian border. It´s nothing new that a Czech politician defends the atom against his neighbours.

The very same Czech President has also recently expressed his belief that the European Union was dragging the continent into chaos. However original and barely understandable this vision may be, Mr. Klaus has been known for some time already to adhere to it. It´s also nothing really new. Although, what´s new by Klaus and his disciples is the open call for dissolving the Union or at least stepping out of it.

The Temelin nuclear plant is going to be modernized. That´s also not really new. It has been always up to be modernized, even in the original design. What´s also not new is that it will be most probably modernized by the Russians, who offer not only their most recent technology, but also their help with reestablishing the Czech nuclear industry (and probably even mining). The only EU contestant for the Czech contract of the decade, the French Areva, has been excluded from the competition by the Czech energy producer, ČEZ. According to Areva, there were no acceptable reasons for it. Nevertheless, even if Areva is right and the court will confirm their claim to participate, it will be probably to late. Methods like this aren´t new as well.

Frankly, there´s not much new in Eastern Europe. And very soon, we may have it all back. The good old Slavic Atomic.