Lithuania declares nuclear power plant in Belarus a threat to national security
The Cabinet of Ministers of Lithuania has declared that the Belarusian Nuclear Power Plant (BelAES), which is being built about 50 kilometers from Vilnius (on Belarus Island), poses a threat to national security. The portal Delfi reported this.
The government proposes that the Seimas recognize BelAES as unsafe, representing, by virtue of its geographical position, a threat to the national security of Lithuania, the environment and human health.
"The interests of national security and the people are the most important. The position of Lithuania on BelAES is clear and principled - the construction of BelAES cannot continue. From the very beginning, this construction has been accompanied by serious violations and incidents, and so far neither the requirements of nuclear safety nor International environmental requirements have been respected," said Lithuanian Prime Minister Saulius Skvernelis.
According to the Government of Lithuania, BelAES violates national interests and security by all criteria: geographic location and suitability of the selected construction site, technological features, assurance of nuclear safety, compliance with international safety and environmental requirements, and interstate cooperation.
"The completed assessment states that Belarus did not provide any evidence when choosing a construction site for a nuclear power plant, located only 40 km from Vilnius, that they fully took into account the population of Lithuania, its distribution and other factors that have significance in the event of a nuclear or radiological accident at BelAES, "the report said.
The Russian corporation Rosatom builds BelAES 50 km away from Vilnius. The Lithuanian side has repeatedly stated that the work is being carried out with violations of safety and environmental standards. Minsk denies these claims.