According to the Espoo Convention Hungary informed 30 European countries regarding the international phase of the Paks II. project’s environmental approval during the preliminary consultation. 11 countries, Croatia among them, indicated their will to take part in the licensing process.

During the public hearing of Osijek dr. Attila Aszódi, government commissioner for the maintenance of the performance of the Paks Nuclear Power Plant provided general information about the Paks II. investment, then described the environmental impacts of the construction and operation of the new nuclear power plant units. The government commissioner also addressed the nuclear safety requirements and the safety parameters of the new power plant units.

After the presentation – like in the case of the 7 May public hearing in Paks – there was an opportunity for everyone to ask questions and give opinions. During the nearly 5 hours long event several questions were asked by various NGOs, municipilaties and authorities. Most of them were about security, the handling of the spent fuel and radioactive waste and radioactive emission. Everyone received a detailed answer in every case.

The next station of the international phase is Vienna, where the public hearing will be held on 23 September, after that the consultation tour will continue in Romania, Slovenia, Ukraine, Germany and Serbia. The aim of the professional consultations, public forums and public hearings is that the Hungarian environmental authority can receive further opinions so the environmental impact study will contain every such approaches which will be considered during the assessment.