Protesters picket Belarus Embassy

VILNIUS - On Aug. 21, a small group - five people - held a picket in front of the Embassy of Belarus in Vilnius protesting against the construction of a nuclear power plant (NPP) in Astravets, Belarus, reports ELTA. The participants of the picket expressed their dissatisfaction with Belarus for not adhering to the Espoo Convention when building the Astravets NPP.

One of the participants, Tomas Tomilinas, member of Lithuanian Farmer and Green Party, said that Lithuanian society observes closely the construction processes in Astravets and expresses opposition to the emergence of the NPP.

“Belarus does not adhere to the Espoo Convention, international agreements providing regulations for building objects close to the border of neighboring countries. The government of Lithuania has said very clearly that Belarus had not answered key questions. We do not want that such dangerous objects would emerge near Vilnius,” said Tomilinas

On Tuesday, Lithuanian Prime Minister Algirdas Butkevicius said that the construction of the Astravas nuclear power plant would not begin until Lithuania and other countries granted permission to build it. According to Butkevicius, merely preparatory works are being conducted in the territory of the NPP at present.

“Some earthworks are taking place there. Until Belarus has permission and approval from its neighboring countries and the Espoo Convention Implementation Committee, the construction of this project should not begin,” said Butkevicius in an interview with the national radio.