Spying
Czech government blocks Chinese satellite investment over espionage fear
The Czech government has blocked a Chinese company from investing in a satellite station amid concerns that it could possibly be used for spying, media reports said.
The firm called Emposat, based in Beijing, had plans to operate a satellite dish at the site in the village of Vlkoš in the eastern Moravia region, reported TVP World.
According to reports, ministers have signed an order to prohibit the initiative during a closed-door meeting held last week.
It is the first time the Czech authorities have implemented the strongest measures permissible under a 2021 law on screening foreign investments, reported TVP World.
The leaked decree, first reported by the Seznam Zprávy website, said that Emposat’s involvement “may pose a threat to the security of the Czech Republic,” with sources telling the publication that the decision was based on warnings from the country’s intelligence services, the news portal said.
Marek Vošahlík from the Czech Ministry of Industry and Trade said the investment will have minimum impact on the country's economy.
“The investment has minimal impact on employment and the economy, but due to the nature of the facility, it may have significant security implications,” Marek Vošahlík from the Czech Ministry of Industry and Trade was quoted as saying by TVP World.
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