Slovak government and ČEZ dispute nuclear project stake buyout

A dispute has emerged regarding the buyout of a 49 percent stake held by the Czech energy group ČEZ in Jadrová energetická spoločnosť Slovenska (JESS), a company established to build a new nuclear power source in Jaslovské Bohunice.

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has threatened legal action against political analyst Eduard Chmelár following televised comments regarding the transaction. Fico characterized the remarks as unsubstantiated claims that could jeopardize a strategic state project. Chmelár defended his statements, noting they were based on previous reservations raised by the Ministry of Economy and the Office of Public Procurement.

ČEZ has rejected allegations of non-transparency or illegality in the transaction, describing such claims as damaging to its reputation as an internationally traded company. The company stated that the stake was valued at 189 million euros by the auditing firm Ernst & Young, a process approved by both shareholders and confirmed by the Slovak Ministry of Finance. The government's Office of the Prime Minister is now overseeing the initiative to settle ownership relations, with a target completion date for the buyout set for September.