Will long stand extinct villages abandoned because of radiation. Will occur thyroid disease in children. No country suffered from the Chernobyl disaster stronger than Belarus. Since then 30 years have passed, and now the country relies on nuclear energy. Currently in the city Ostrowiec with the participation of Russia in construction of the first Belarus nuclear power plant, not later than the beginning of 2019 needs to be run the first of two power units of 1200 MW each. But most of all about this concerned about other countries — Lithuania, an EU member and neighbour of Belarus.
Last week the Lithuanian Parliament unanimously adopted a resolution in which built the reactor was declared a threat to national security. From the diplomatic point of view — a large caliber. For Lithuania it is the decision of the Parliament “significant event” because it “is important for public safety, quality of life and development of the country”, said the Chairman of the Committee on national security and defence Vytautas Bakas (Bakas Vitautas).
Prime Minister Saulius Squirrels (Saulius Skvernelis) has accused Belarus of violating important requirements of nuclear and environmental safety. It is important to know that the nuclear power plant being built about 50 kilometers from Lithuania’s capital of Vilnius.
The conflict between the two neighboring countries dragged on for a long time, but so much he still had not worsened. Lithuania also points to the allegedly insufficient geological studies. Besides, how independent can be national control in a controlled authoritarian country? In the previous stages of construction has already happened incident. Last year the empty shell of the reactor fell from a height of several meters, what the Belarusian authorities announced only after some time. Russian manufacturer of Rosatom hurried to calm everyone down and announced that the building would be replaced, although it is not even damaged.
Lithuania trying to convince their fears of the EU and the international atomic energy Agency, IAEA, which, in its opinion, insufficiently intensively controlled construction site. In February, during the visit of the Lithuanian Prime Minister, the Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel also reminded that the construction should be guaranteed the highest security standards. “We will talk with Russia about how it is important”, she said. On the other hand, it is, of course, can not fundamentally advocate the refusal of Germany from nuclear energy and at the same time carefree to comment on the construction of the reactor in Belarus. Still, he is not so far away.
Belarus is protected from criticism Lithuanian neighbors and points to several international audits, including the IAEA. According to the Baltic news Agency BNS, Deputy Director of the IAEA’s Juan Carlos Lentijo (Juan Carlos Lentijo) stated that the Belarusian power plant is a serious project and despite all the requests of cooperation, ultimately the issue of security remains the responsibility of the country. The incident with the fallen body of the reactor is not associated with nuclear safety, as there has not been radiation-hazardous materials. President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko has befallen Lithuania: “all countries are building nuclear power plants. Why Belarus? It builds not a weak state and Russia, a nuclear power.”
For Belarus, this project is extremely important because until now for the production of electricity it uses almost exclusively gas. The gas it receives from Russia. With the launch of a nuclear power plant it hopes to reduce this dependence and at the same time reducing electricity prices. Ideally, even the surplus will be exported. But Lithuania has its own energy interests. Because she was forced to close its outdated power units in Ingalina upon accession to the EU, and now she is planning the construction of a new plant. Therefore, probably, in the conflict between Lithuania and Belarus plays the role of competition in the field of energy policy. In April, the Lithuanian Parliament provided in advance all possible cases. He is legally restricted the import of electricity produced “unsafe nuclear power plant.” Means power neighbor. Obviously.
