Belarus calls for open dialogue to discuss Lithuanian nuclear projects

Belarus invites Lithuania to engage in a professional and open dialogue about all the questions the Belarusian side has with regard to Lithuanian nuclear projects, BelTA learned from Press Secretary of the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Anatoly Glaz.

Anatoly Glaz said: “Lithuania is having serious difficulties with decommissioning the Ignalina nuclear power plant and the accompanying management of nuclear fuel and radioactive waste. It is no secret for anyone. Imagine that three new installations have been recently commissioned at the site of the Ignalina nuclear power plant – an interim spent fuel storage facility, a complex for extracting solid radioactive waste MI-1 and a complex for extracting solid radioactive waste MI-2, MI-3.”

The official continued: “All the work proceeds in secret. Requirements of fundamental international documents in this sphere are ignored. It is no joke. Contrary to basic norms of such a respected international organization the International Atomic Energy Agency is Lithuania has been keeping the IAEA’s key missions away from the Ignalina nuclear power plant for over 15 years already, for instance, a SEED mission for evaluating the safety of the site, design of the spent nuclear fuel storage facility, and the complex for radioactive waste management and storage. It also prevents an OSART mission from evaluating the safety of the Ignalina nuclear power plant in the course of its decommissioning.”

“Moreover, Lithuania does not abide by recommendations of European regulators concerning the probability analysis of the safety of the Ignalina nuclear power plant,” he remarked.

Belarus is also concerned by the fact that Lithuania is not a party to the Protocol of the Vienna Convention on Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage. Belarus has repeatedly encouraged Lithuania to accede to this fundamental international agreement to no avail so far.

“This is why all of it – the construction of nuclear burial sites right near the Belarusian border, long-term storage of irradiated nuclear fuel on site without containment cannot but cause legitimate concerns,” the press secretary stressed. “We invite Lithuania to engage in a professional and open dialogue about all the questions the Belarusian side has with regard to Lithuanian nuclear projects and expect Lithuania to confirm with deeds the responsible attitude the country declares to nuclear safety in the region.”