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On 7 August the Embassy of Belarus was presented with a protest note by the Lithuanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which strongly condemns Belarus’s actions to begin the loading of nuclear fuel into the unsafe nuclear power plant at the Astravets site in Belarus.

The note states that Belarus’s actions while implementing the nuclear power plant project have violated the principles of openness, transparency and good neighbourliness, whereas, due to its proximity to Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania, as well as unresolved nuclear safety issues and the failure to ensure the culture of safety during construction, the operation of the power plant poses a direct threat to Lithuania’s national security, environment and population.  

 The note urges Belarus to suspend the launch of the nuclear power plant until the recommendations presented in the European Union (EU) stress test procedure are implemented and to engage in full co-operation with the European Nuclear Safety Regulators Group, the European Commission and other international organisations in order to ensure an adequate level of nuclear safety and environmental requirements, including those set out in the Espoo Convention.  

On 6 August during a phone conversation the Minister of Foreign Affairs Linas Linkevičius informed the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell about the imminent launch of the nuclear power plant in Belarus. Moreover, Mr Linkevičius stressed that Lithuania was expecting active involvement of the EU institutions. The issue of the Belarussian nuclear power plant was also discussed with the Polish Minister of Foreign Affairs Jacek Czaputowicz.

“The implementation of nuclear safety standards and environmental requirements is crucial both to Lithuania and to Belarus itself. This is not only a bilateral, but also a regional and European problem, EU leaders have said that on numerous occasions. There is no space for compromises here and we see no way of reaching an agreement with Belarus,” said Minister Linkevičius.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs together with other Lithuanian institutions will continue its efforts in the EU and will work in international convention and other multilateral formats to reach joint decisions on establishing infringements made by Belarus and rectifying the shortcomings.