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24. 6. 2008 9:28

June 24, 2008: Premier Mirek Topolánek Met Vítkovice Ironworks Employees

On the day of the strike in the Czech Republic Premier Mirek Topolánek met employees of the Vítkovice Ironworks to discuss the need for reforms and the problems besetting the employees. The Premier then visited the ironworks and spoke about regional development and the government’s support for science and research.

“I do agree that this country is in danger. But it is not endangered by reforms but rather by a lack of reforms. Here in Vítkovice I asked people why they were not striking, why they have so much work, why they are successful, and what new development projects they are pursuing. If only one thousand people out of the 58,000 employees of the Czech Railways are striking, I have to take this as a political strike,“ Premier Mirek Topolánek was quoted as saying after his visit to the ironworks.

In addition to discussions with employees, the Prime Minister also visited the operation of the Vítkovice Ironworks. Another topic under debate was the development project known as New Vítkovice. Covering an area of 253 hectares, this project will create the modern phenomenon of the city of Ostrava and is expected to attract to the metropolis of the Moravian-Silesian Region additional investments worth billions of Czech crowns.

The project is designed to facilitate, inter alia, concentration of scientific, research and university capacities in the so called Lower Vítkovice Area where the state is still spending funds on subsidies aimed at eliminating old environmental burdens and reviving some selected industrial monuments.

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