BUSINESS
Learn from
Those Who
Know
Ing. Pavel Bartoš is President of
the Union for the Development
of the Moravian-Silesian
Region (Sdružení pro rozvoj
Moravskoslezského
kraje),
established in 1990. The union
currently has 127 members
from various fields. The union
struggles to support the targets
and interests of its members
in accordance with the
strategic plan of the MoravianSilesian Region in economic,
environmental, infrastructure,
education and human resource
development.
Mr Bartoš, our region has transformed from
its “Coal Age”. Can we draw inspiration
from the processes and experience of other
European regions?
The Union for the Development of the
Moravian-Silesian Region went on a very
useful trip to the German federal state
Nordrhein-Westfalen (Land NRW) and
its specific region Ruhr. Our host was the
RAG organization, the main representative
and organizer of the reduction of black
coal extraction and the transformation of
the former coal mining region. The main
purpose of our trip was to learn about the
reduction of underground black coal mining
industries and later usage of mines after
the extraction has finished, to learn about
hydrogen technologies and smart-innovative
solutions. The main aim of the study trip
was to explore practical solutions and
opportunities for the particular cooperation
of subjects operating in these spheres in the
regions of Moravia-Silesia and Ruhr.
Our host presented very interesting
instruction on the system of the gradual
reduction of black coal mining and
metallurgy. Their coal mining reduction
started in the 1960s. The concluding part of
termination of extraction started some 20
years ago with a government resolution to
finish coal extraction by the end of 2018. At
that time the organizational and propertymanagement structures were established to
make the reduction steps as self-financing
as possible, with some funds coming from
state-governed budgets.
What impact may this experience have on
the so-called “Coal Platform” in the Czech
Republic?
During our negotiations we discussed
possible collaboration within the “Coal
Platform”.
Our
German
partners
recommend intensifying the current
cooperation of the Government of the
Moravian-Silesian Region (Czech Rep.),
Silesia Province (Śląskie province, Poland),
and the Žilina Self-Governing Region
(Žilinský samosprávný kraj, Slovakia) with
Ruhr (Germany) and the Nitra Self-Governing
Region (Nitranský samosprávný kraj,
Slovakia), and to transform this cooperation
into actual solutions of particular tasks.
The frequent conclusion to all presentations
was that only the partnership of stategoverned and private spheres, and longterm system and concept solutions bring
successful results. Our German partners
offered further cooperation and sharing
of their particular experience with
representatives of our region.
Where and how will our visions be
developed?
Actually, all presentations emphasized that
none of the present achievements would
have been made without a systematic
concept solution actively supported by the
aforementioned partners from the public
administration and enterprise. Innovative
ideas and model solutions of structural
transformation in urban areas illustrate the
sustainable and environmental-friendly
renewal in a city and urban landscape, still
providing a good setting for a functional
industrial district. It is vital that innovative
(smart) solutions include regional facilities
for the energy recovery of communal and
other waste (including dangerous waste),
such as in Herten, where the processing
plant with a capacity of 700,000 tons
produces power and heat for the city of
Herten. This solution replaced an annual
consumption of 350,000 tons of coal.
Mr Bartoš, Thank you very much for the
interview. Ing. Radúz Mácha
POSITIV ǀ 1/2019 27