Republic

Belarus, Lithuania agree radioactive waste storage location

Belarus and Lithuania have reached an agreement concerning the location of the radioactive waste storage, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Lithuania to Belarus Edminas Bagdonas told a press conference in Minsk on February 13. In his words, the issue has been settled, Belarus is completely satisfied with the solution. The radioactive waste storage will be located in Stabatiskes near the Ignalina nuclear power plant four kilometres from the Belarusian-Lithuanian border instead of one-two kilometres. The facility will store small and medium radioactivity waste. The diplomat confirmed Lithuania’s intention to shut down the Ignalina nuclear power plant by 2009. “We gave the word to the European Union and we will keep it,” he said. Edminas Bagdonas also added, on the eve the President of Lithuania had signed the law on building a new nuclear power plant in the country. Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Poland will participate in the project. The power plant is scheduled for commissioning in 2015-2016.