The mayors of municipalities from the Brdy area of the Czech Republic, where a U.S. missile defence radar base might be built, would demand investment for their neglected region but do not want it to be connected with the stationing of the radar, the Czech news agency CTK reported Wednesday.
Most of the 15 mayors invited to attend Wednesday's government meeting held in the local chateau confirmed to CTK that they were against the radar and would inform the government of their position.
"We want the money for our region, but not at the cost of the radar," Skorice mayor Miloslav Suchy said.
He and Lubomir Fiala, mayor of the village of Visky, said the central authorities had been showing a previously unseen interest in their region lately.
"It is interesting that there is money all of a sudden," Rozmital pod Tremsinem mayor Josef Vondrasek said, adding that the radar would not ensure higher security.
"If the radar is built, Prague could become a soft target," he said, referring to the fact that the radar base, which is to be built in the Brdy military district, would be only some 70 km from Prague.
Vondrasek said the mayors wanted to discuss the transfer of the money to their region without discussing the radar base.
Spalene Porici mayor Pavel Cizek said he would demand the government answer certain questions concerning international security, such as "whether the stationing of the radar would bring the danger of an attack and armament."
Cizek said he still believed the radar site should be moved farther inside the military training grounds and that this was his main demand.
"We would like to have a detailed medical study. We want the existing study to be complemented with the views of the opponents of the radar," he said.
The United States unveiled its plan in January to place a radar system in the Czech Republic. The plan also proposes that 10 long-range interceptors capable of shooting down missiles be stationed in Poland.
According to a recent opinion poll, more than two-thirds of Czech citizens oppose the base. In referendums held in several municipalities surrounding the Brdy area, people have voted against the base.
Source: Xinhua
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