In the year 1991 there was an important governmental restriction called spatial and environmental limits to lignite mining. The purpose of the restriction was to set boundaries to the lignite mining in order to enable the transition of the economy of the region and minimize social costs of closing the mines immediately. At the same time the limits were also meant to protect the settlements close to the mine from being demolished in order to extend the operating mine. The governmental restriction was however contested later on by the mining companies. |