Belarus expected to dispel Lithuania's doubts over Astravets NPP quality standards


Belarusians will give answers to all questions about safety issues of a would-be nuke station which is being built 50 kilometers from the Lithuanian capital, Delfi reports.

Lithuania has been criticising Belarus for failing to ensure safety of the nuclear power in Astravets district (Hrodna region).

“We believe that Belarus violated the Espoo Convention, and that the Committee itself recognized it. Because it is prohibited to build a facility, which could have a strong influence on neighboring countries,” Lithuanian MP Linas Balsys said in April, 2015.

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

“The questions about the Astravets nuclear power plant construction quality, safety requirements were raised. Any doubts about quality standards should be cleared out. It has been difficult for Lithuanian institutions to communicate thus far. <…> Belarus has agreed to have an expert meeting in December to discuss the Espoo [The Convention on Environmental Impact Assessment in a Transboundary Context] committee observations,“ Lithuanian Foreign Minister Linas Linkevičius commented on his recent visit to Minsk.

Lithuania is not going to adapt any infrastructure to that power plant and is not going to buy electricity from Astravets NPP, Prime Minister Algirdas Butkevičius said on Thursday.

The NPP first power-generating unit is scheduled for commissioning in 2018, the second one – in 2020. The construction of two nuclear reactors is provided in the agreement reached by Belarus and Russia, the reactors being supplied by Atomstroyexport, Russia. The project faced opposition at home and abroad on both safety and political grounds.

Read also: Waste from Astravets NPP to be stored in Belarus for 10 years

Belsat.eu, following delfi.lt

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