By a vote of 71 to 1, the village of Trokavec, one hour southwest of Prague, approved a proposal for the municipal government to do everything within its powers to keep the radar station from being built in the area, Mayor Jan Neoral said, according to the CTK news agency.
The referendum isn’t binding on the Czech government. The US has proposed building the radar station in the Czech Republic and installing missile interceptors in northern Poland near Gdansk, a demand that has stirred a wave of protests in both of central European countries. „I will bombard the media, the government with letters and petitions,” Neoral said in February 21 interview. „And if we still fail and the radar is built, at least we have done everything we could have to try to stop it.”
As the Czech and Polish governments move toward approving President George W. Bush’s request to host the anti-missile system, polls indicate most of their citizens oppose the US plan. Critics, including Neoral, say the system will increase global tensions and put locals at threat. The Bush administration says the missile-defense system is designed to protect against attack from nations with nuclear aspirations, such as Iran. It would be operational about 2011. Because Saturday’s referendum isn’t binding on the government, Mayor Neoral has called on nearby communities to hold similar votes that he says may pressure the government to change its stance. (Bloomberg)
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