Events

MINSK, 31 March (BelTA) – Belarus will defend a regular national report on fulfilling the Convention on Nuclear Safety in the IAEA on 31 March, BelTA learned from representatives of the Nuclear and Radiation Safety Department of the Belarusian Emergencies Ministry.

Belarus will defend the report during the Seventh Review Meeting of the Contracting Parties to the Convention on Nuclear Safety. The Belarusian delegation will include representatives of the Nuclear and Radiation Safety Department, the state enterprise Belarusian Nuclear Power Plant, nuclear industry institutes of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, the Foreign Ministry and the permanent delegation of Belarus to Vienna.

“Belarus’ seventh report met increased interest, which was on par with the interest in reports of countries with a well-developed nuclear energy industry. The report met 214 questions in accordance with the IAEA procedures. Each question received a substantial answer,” the representatives of the Nuclear and Radiation Safety Department remarked.

The number of questions and comments other countries made with regard to Belarus’ national report was three times as large as the number of questions and comments about the previous report (69 questions and comments three years before). Only reports of countries with a well-developed nuclear energy industry invoked a comparable number of questions and comments. For instance, Russia’s report was followed by 242 questions, Ukraine’s — 196 questions, and Canada’s — 164 questions.

Most of the questions were related to the legislative and regulatory framework, the regulating agency, and safety as a priority. Questions were asked about the improvement of the legal base on nuclear and radiation safety, changes in the legal base, the way the changes implement modern international recommendations. Questions were also asked about licensing procedures and the evaluation of safety parameters by experts, including within the framework of one of the principles of the 2015 Vienna Declaration on Nuclear Safety — the need to periodically review safety parameters. Questions were also asked about resources and competences of all the parties involved in implementing the nuclear energy program, including inspectors. Questions were also asked about the evaluation missions that visit Belarus, primarily IAEA-sponsored ones, including results of past missions and plans to invite new ones. Questions were also asked about the fulfillment of quality management programs and the development of safety culture in all the agencies participating in the implementation of the nuclear energy program.

The Convention on Nuclear Safety was adopted on 17 June 1994. The document is designed to secure and maintain a high level of nuclear safety all over the world by beefing up national measures and international cooperation, by creating and supporting effective safeguards at nuclear installations to protect from potential radioactive threats. The document is meant to ensure the protection of individuals and the society as a whole, the environment from the harmful impact of ionizing radiation. It is designed to prevent emergencies with radioactive consequences and alleviate consequences of such emergencies if they happen.