Prague - All facilities the U.S. Army would like to build on the planned radar base in Brdy will have to be approved by the Czech Defense Ministry. Americans will not be able to start building anything until they receive the approval and a construction permit.
This regulation is included in a bilateral agreement Washington and Prague are expected to sign in June.
Owner? Czech state
"All buildings that will be constructed will be the propriety of the Czech state. That's how it works in military zones. The Czech state and Defense Ministry will have great control over what will be built there," head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' security policy division, Veronika Kuchyňová Šmigolová, told Akuálně.cz.
The bilateral agreement between the Czech Republic and the USA, which Aktuálně.cz was allowed to inspect, states de facto the same: "The Czech Republic retains its absolute sovereignty and property rights over the radar base the U.S. armed forces were licensed to use … The USA may build and demolish new objects, remove vegetation and mold."
Any other works that would interfere with the environment will have to be permitted by the Environment Ministry.
"We assume that if the Americans would like to build a radar and some subsidiary buildings, there won't be any obstructions and we will permit it," assured Kuchyňová Šmigolová.
The military vs. environment
It is already clear that trees will have to be cut down in Brdy, thus the right to do so is included in the agreement.
Under certain circumstances, the Environment Ministry will be allowed to present studies about the effects the base has on the environment.
On the border of the radar base territory, the NATURA wilderness area will be established in the future. Such an area would be subjected to a complex set of regulations.
