Austria should exit Euratom Treaty: Green party
Vienna (AFP) Nov 4, 2008 The Austrian Green party called Tuesday for Austria to quit the European Atomic Energy Community (Euroatom or EAEC), saying public money paid to the body could be better used elsewhere. Austria, which is constitutionally opposed to nuclear energy, "must exit the Euroatom Treaty," Green party spokeswoman Eva Glawischnig said. "We call for the immediate cessation of payments to Euratom. Against the backdrop of exploding budgets, every cent is needed for economy-boosting measures and for fighting unemployment," Glawischnig told a news conference marking the 30th anniversary of a referendum against a nuclear power plant in Zwentendorf, 50 kilometres west of Vienna. There was no sensible reason for Austria to remain a member of the EAEC, she continued. Austria was paying 40-50 million euros (51-64 million dollars) every year in subsidies to EU atomic programmes, from which the country did not benefit. The Green party's anti-nuclear spokeswoman, Christiane Brunner, suggested using the money for renewable sources of energy and climate protection measures. Austria, which wrote its opposition to nuclear energy into its constitution following a referendum, joined the European Union in 1995, automatically becoming a member of the EAEC. The two far-right parties, the BZOe and the FPOe, are also in favour of quitting Euratom. According to a poll carried out on behalf of the anti-nuclear movement, Atomstoppoberoesterreich, 78 percent of Austrians are in favour of such a move. Community Email This Article Comment On This Article Share This Article With Planet Earth
Related Links Civil Nuclear Energy Science, Technology and News Powering The World in the 21st Century at Energy-Daily.com
Czech nuclear power station shutdown extended Prague (AFP) Nov 4, 2008 One of the reactors at the Czech nuclear power station at Temelin, closed for maintenance since the end of July, is to remain shut for several more weeks so a turbine blade can be repaired, the plant operator said Tuesday. |
|
The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2007 - SpaceDaily.AFP and UPI Wire Stories are copyright Agence France-Presse and United Press International. ESA Portal Reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by SpaceDaily on any Web page published or hosted by SpaceDaily. Privacy Statement |