Events

MINSK, 14 March (BelTA) – The Lithuanian ambassador has been summoned to the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs due to mass media reports about an incident involving radioactive materials in the course of decommissioning the Ignalina nuclear power plant in late December 2017, the press service of the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs told BelTA.

The Lithuanian ambassador was handed a note, in which Belarus expressed concern due to the lack of up-to-date information about the incident at the Ignalina nuclear power plant.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs underlined: “Belarus believes that principles of transparency and responsibility for ensuring proper nuclear safety arrangements should be equally applicable to any nuclear activities, including the decommissioning of the Ignalina nuclear power plant.”

The Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs urged Lithuania to scrupulously investigate the incident and inform Belarus about the results. “Due to the Ignalina nuclear power plant’s direct proximity to the Belarusian border Belarus expects that in the future the Lithuanian side will provide up-to-date and timely information about all incidents at nuclear facilities and/or incidents involving nuclear materials, which may potentially result in radioactive discharges,” BelTA has been told.

The statement was also forwarded to the head of the European Union representative office in Belarus and to the relevant European agencies via Belarus’ permanent representative office in the European Union.