Lithuania passes bill to restrict imports from Belarus’ Astravyets, other unsafe N-plants

The Seimas passed the Law on the Necessary Measures of Protection against Threats Posed by Unsafe Nuclear Power Plants of Third Countries with 87 votes in favor and one abstention.

A neighboring country’s nuclear power plant will be deemed unsafe if environmental or nuclear and radiation safety requirements are not followed in building and operating it and international agreements and conventions are violated and if it poses a threat to Lithuania’s national security, environment and public health due to its geographical location or technological specificities.

Energy Minister Zygimantas Vaiciunas has said earlier that the Astravyets plant and Kaliningrad’s nuclear facility project, which is currently on hold, represent a threat to Lithuania and violate the Convention on Nuclear Safety, which requires coordinating the selection of nuclear sites with neighboring countries and assessing their impact and potential damage to their people, nature and urban environments.

The government last June endorsed an embargo plan for restricting, via Nord Pool’s Lithuanian bidding area, the import of electricity from the Astravyets plant and other third countries to Lithuania and, at the same time, other EU member states. Poland has said recently that it is joining Lithuania’s initiative.