LITHUANIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY RECEIVES AN OFFICIAL ANSWER OF BELARUS REGARDING WATER-LEVEL DECLINE IN THE NEMUNAS RIVER
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania informs that on August 27 the Lithuanian Embassy in Minsk received an official answer of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection of Belarus to the Foreign Ministry’s note of August 2 requesting to provide explanation with regard to critical water-level decline in the Nemunas River near Druskininkai.
In its response Belarus emphasized that water shortages during the summer had been caused by natural factors, such as lower than average precipitation, declining groundwater level since the previous autumn and winter, etc.
The explanation provided in the Belarus response is to be assessed by the Lithuanian Hydrometeorological Service.
Previously assessing the situation Lithuanian experts emphasised that the crisis was not a result of the natural factors; it could be caused by human actions. According to the experts, critical water-level decline in the Nemunas River was likely caused by sustained water pumping into the reservoir of the Grodno hydroelectric power plant, which is currently under construction.
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