MEP, member of the Foreign Affairs commission, Werner Schulz, called on Belarus and Russia to abandon NPP construction. "This is a cynical and dangerous arrogance. I believe that it's simply unacceptable to rely on nuclear power plants, thus demonstrating the absence of any common sense, in such a tragic situation for the whole world," he said.
«The tragedy in Japan demonstrated that nuclear plants are not safe. There is always a risk that there could be a radiation leak in case of a catastrophe. It’s irresponsible to assume such a risk. Japanese NPPs, as the Japanese themselves assure, are among the safest in the world. With regard to the Russian nuclear power plants, the recent events make us doubt it. The tragedy at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant is a proof,» said the MEP, reports the Belarusian service of Deutsche Welle.
According to Werner Schulz, the decision of the Belarusian authorities is even more cynical and irresponsible due to the fact that Belarus is the most affected by the Chernobyl accident and elevated background radiation has remained in some regions of Belarus up to these days.» Also, according to MEP, there is an unstable political situation in the region.
Belarus’s Dependence on Russia to Increase due to NPP, Schultz
The politician also believes that dependence of Belarus on Russia will not fall, but rise despite the NPP construction at the expense of Russian loans. He said that Minsk had to rely on alternative, renewable energy, whether solar, wind or water.
«Enormous resources are not fully utilized in Belarus, as well as advanced technologies in electricity generation. The construction of nuclear power plants is not the way to modernization, but the opposite, a dangerous and risky way to new tragedies,» said Werner Schultz.
As Telegraf previously reported, the Belarusian authorities are preparing to build their own plant. For example, Belarus and Russia have already developed a framework contract agreement on NPP construction. The project has already been approved by the President of Belarus. According to the plans of the Belarusian side, construction of the pit at Astravets is to begin in September 2011, while the first power station — by 2017.
On the background of recent developments in Japan, where a devastating earthquake and tsunami triggered a number of nuclear explosions, the members of the Belarusian anti-nuclear campaign appealed to the Belarusian government with a request to abandon plans to build a nuclear power plant. Campaigners called on the Belarusian authorities to learn from the Japanese tragedy, stop building nuclear power plants and seek investments in modernization of traditional and renewable energy development.
Nevertheless, the Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said during a meeting with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko on March 15 that the degree of security for the future of the Belarusian nuclear power plant would be much higher than in Japan. The same day the parties signed an agreement on the Belarusian NPP construction.
