Belarus ‘not able’ to confirm Lithuania’s information about another incident at Astravets NPP

The Belarusian authorities do not confirm Lithuania’s security services information about another incident in the course of the construction of the nuclear power plant in the town of Astravets (Hrodna region).

“In the course of execution of oversight measures at the construction site of the Belarusian nuclear power plant in the form of continuous oversight and in the form of a comprehensive inspection the Nuclear and Radiation Safety Department has not been able to corroborate the statements made by Press Secretary of the State Security Department of Lithuania Vytautas Makauskas and Lithuanian Minister of Environment Kęstutis Trečiokas , who had claimed that another incident has happened in the course of construction of the Belarusian nuclear power plant,” state-run news agency BelTA reports with reference to the Nuclear and Radiation Safety Department of the Belarusian Emergencies Ministry.

This week, the Lithuanian State Security Department (VSD) expressed fear that another incident had occurred at a nuclear power plant that Belarus is building in Astravets, just 50 kilometres from Vilnius.

Read also: Construction supervisors stealing cement, superiors stealing budget money – Astravets NPP builder

On 8 April 2016, there was a collapse of the structural frame of the would-be nuclear service building at Astravets NPP, of which Belsat.eu was informed in early May.

At first, Eduard Sviryd, the spokesman for the Astravets NPP, denied our report saying that there had not been any incidents at the construction site. State-run mass media remained silent as well. After the publication Lithuania summoned Belarus’ ambassador and handed him a diplomatic note demanding explanation over the reported incident.

Later, Deputy Energy Minister of Belarus Vadzim Zakreuski confirmed the information published on belsat.eu.

Read also: Nuclear bomb of Astravets

Belsat.eu