Austrians step up Czech nuclear protest

Austrian environmentalists have stepped up their protests against a new Czech nuclear power station built near their common frontier.

Czech radio said several busloads of students had arrived to join the protestors who have been blockading border crossings for nearly a week.

The move follows the announcement that the Czech Government is to seek European Union intervention in an effort to end the row with Austria.

Not even a legitimate protest can be allowed to violate basic human rights of others

Czech Deputy Premier Pavel Rychetsky

A deadline issued by Prague for Austrian environmental protesters to end their blockade expired on Wednesday night.

The Czech cabinet held a late-night session to discuss the problem. It says Austria's failure to act is in breach of EU treaties.

Austrian position

The BBC Prague correspondent, Ray Furlong, says the Austrian authorities, who are fiercely opposed to nuclear power, have tacitly supported the protestors.

Austrian Chancellor Wolfgang Schuessel has denounced this week's start-up of the controversial reactor at Temelin, about 60km (40 miles) from the Austrian frontier, as "wrong and alarming".

He said he could not use force to disperse women and children and would not take away their right to protest.

But Czech Deputy Prime Minister Pavel Rychetsky said his government would carry out its threat to appeal to the EU.

"Not even a legitimate protest can be allowed to violate basic human rights of others who, against their own will, become hostages of the protesters," he said.

A diplomatic source in Prague has told the BBC that efforts are underway to arrange a meeting of the two country's interior ministers to defuse the row.

Border jam

Environmentalists are blockading seven crossing points on the Austrian-Czech border.

They include a key frontier post on the main road from Prague.

Some Czech lorry drivers have been stuck at the border since Friday when the protests began.

Environmentalists have protested for weeks over the plant.

Up to 1,500 people have been gathering daily at the key town of Wullowitz, 100 of whom have kept an all-night vigil, sleeping in cars and tents.

Safety concerns

The Czech news agency said output at the plant remained close to zero, but would be raised if tests - which will last for two weeks - proved successful.

The plant is scheduled to produce at 30% capacity by December when it is due to be linked to the national electricity grid, officials at the safety agency said.

The Czech nuclear safety agency has dismissed concerns about Temelin's new reactor, which was built to a Soviet design but has Western control systems.

The station plant will provide 20% of the Czech Republic's power needs.