Lithuanian ForMin to demand Belarus' explanation over alleged incident at N-plant

The Lithuanian Foreign Ministry intends to demand an explanation from Belarus over an alleged incident on the Astravyets nuclear power plant construction site.

"First of all, we will send a note in the near future asking (Belarus) to explain or deny information about this incident," Lithuanian Foreign Minister Linas Linkevicius told BNS on Tuesday.

"If confirmed, this would be a deeply worrying event.”

The Lithuanian State Security Department (VSD) is checking information that an incident could have occurred at the Astravyets nuclear power plant last week, VSD spokesman Vytautas Makauskas confirmed to BNS on Tuesday.

Linkevicius said that the news "proves once again that Lithuania's position to demand independent observers of the construction and its compliance with international standards is correct."

Lithuanian Environment Minister Kestutis Treciokas told BNS earlier in the day that he had also heard that an incident had occurred and that it was "more serious" that the previous one.

This would is the second known incident on the Astravyets site.

The structural frame of a nuclear service building to be erected between the plant's two reactors collapsed around a month ago. Belarusian officials initially denied the incident, but later confirmed the information.

Vilnius is the most ardent critic of the Astravyets project, saying that Belarus fails to ensure safety at the plant that is being built just 20 kilometres from the border and 50 kilometres from the Lithuanian capital. Vilnius demands that international experts be brought in to observe the construction.

Minsk rejects Lithuania's criticism, saying that it will ensure the highest safety standards at the facility, which is being built by Russia's nuclear energy corporation Rosatom.