Czechs Rule Rosatom Out Of Nuclear Tender Over Spat With Moscow

Prague, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 19th Apr, 2021 ) :The Czech government said Monday it would eliminate Russia's state atomic agency Rosatom from a multi-billion-euro tender to build a new unit at a local nuclear plant over a recent diplomatic spat with Moscow.

The decision follows tit-for-tat expulsions of diplomats after Prague accused Russian secret services of orchestrating a fatal explosion on Czech territory in 2014.

"The Russian supplier Rosatom will not be addressed to submit documents for security assessment," Czech Industry and Trade Minister Karel Havlicek told reporters.

The decision leaves France's EdF, South Korea's KHNP and US-based Westinghouse in play for a contract to build the new unit at the southern Dukovany plant by 2036.

Eighteen Russian diplomats identified by Czech intelligence as spies left Prague for Moscow on Monday afternoon, while 20 Czech diplomats expelled by Russia in retaliation are due to land in Prague later on Monday.

Citing an intelligence report, the Czech government has said Russia's military secret service GRU had orchestrated two explosions in 2014 that killed two people and caused extensive material damage.

In connection with the blast, Czech police are seeking two men also identified as suspects in the 2018 poisoning of former Russian double agent Sergei Skripal in Salisbury.

The Kremlin has dubbed the expulsion of its diplomats "provocative and unfriendly".