There is still no clarity on the construction of the new Visaginas nuclear power plant in Lithuania .. Position of the incumbent Prime Minister Algirdas Butkevicius and remains uncertain, despite all the statements about the strategic importance of this object. Lithuania until the end unable to agree with the other Baltic countries - Estonia and Latvia , about their participation in this project .

 

Primarily because of the lack of clear position on this issue at the Lithuanian side .

 

Even last year in Lithuania held a consultative referendum on the construction of the station . More than half of Lithuanian residents opposed the construction of a nuclear power plant. The decision is an advisory referendum , so all the responsibility for the final decision regarding the construction of the station is on the government of Lithuania.

 

The Lithuanian government has been in power for a year . In the spring it promised stance on the continuation of the new nuclear power plant . According to the approved plans , the station will be built energy companies of the Baltic countries and the Japanese corporation Hitachi. However, the government itself is no unity on this issue. For example, leader of the " Order and Justice " , the former president , who left office in impeachment Roland Paksas said that opposes construction as EAEC , and against projects associated with shale gas .

 

Regarding the position of the other Baltic states , then, for example , Estonian President Toomas Hendrik Ilves said he supported the draft of a new nuclear power plant in Lithuania. According to him, other alternatives are worse. However, several later already Estonian Prime Minister Andrus Ansip expressed his doubts as follows:

 

"Clearly, we are interested in the further implementation of the project EAEC . But, unfortunately , in Lithuania was organized referendum , and two thirds of the participating Lithuanian nuclear power plant project said a clear "no" , - said one of the Estonian Prime Lithuanian radio stations.

 

Namely, the referendum and the lack of clarity regarding the construction project Visaginas nuclear power plant remains an obstacle to the adoption of the Baltic States decision to participate in the project. It is worth recalling that in the early years , the Estonian president said :

 

" We are waiting for a formal and comprehensive response of the Lithuanian state , both government and parliament, that if you have a new energy strategy in terms of the nuclear power plant , and what it is ."

 

About the same situation, this issue is now. Brought no clarity on this issue and Lithuania's Chairmanship of the Council of the EU. Despite the presence of priorities presidency issue of energy security , particularly in respect of the nuclear project situation has not changed .

 

In his annual report to parliament , President Dalia Grybauskaite said that while Lithuania " desperately looking for consensus and solutions " for her, these decisions are made " secret visit " Rosatom " , the mysterious memoranda of" Gazprom " and movies psevdozelenyh ."

 

The Head of State noted that great efforts , against the wishes of Lithuania to become volatile .

 

"Strangers experts decide for us what is the best nuclear power plant in Lithuania - Visaginas , Kaliningrad or Ostrovetskaya who we buy gas and who should conduct the exploration of our Earth's interior.

 

Due to the uncertainty of our country 's energy Lithuania sidestep and larger , energy-intensive foreign investment. Throwing from side to side and leaving the decision could cost us all international credibility , "- said the president.

 

However , the situation still remains uncertain. December 7th Prime Minister of Lithuania A.Butkyavichyus said :

 

"I have such information , within two weeks of Latvia and Estonia will say whether they are interested in this project," - said the prime minister .

 

According to him, at a meeting of the prime ministers of the Baltic countries , which recently took place in Riga " has finally managed to convince the prime ministers of Latvia and Estonia , the experts at the highest level began to work and analyze the question of NPP , said that they are ready to further cooperate with Lithuania " .

 

In turn, the energy minister Jaroslaw Neverovič said that the fate of the project EAEC should soon be resolved.

 

Recall that the three Baltic countries together with the Japanese Hitachi revised draft EAEC and found an opportunity to improve it, but open questions still remain. As the Lithuanian government intends to address this issue also remains a mystery , since , according to the October premiere statements , he is not against a second referendum.

 

"I want to say that this referendum was held on the construction of nuclear power plants and for a specific project , when it was presented with information about how much this might cost to Lithuania. Now you may have heard that the price is significantly less than previously thought , the former government. But out of respect for the public, I think I need another referendum , and we would ask people , "- said in an interview with radio station A.Butkyavichyus Ziniu radijas in mid-October .

 

It was reported that the Japanese are willing to pay part of the interest on your loan regional partners. In this case, the Lithuanian government will have to borrow about 5.6 billion litas , while around 1.3 billion litas to invest in its capital . Butkevičius immediately thereafter stated that the Lithuanian project " cheaper " to LTL 1 billion or more.

 

Hitachi also offers to build several plants in Lithuania and create several hundred jobs. Japanese promise that orders will not only during the construction of the station , but later.

 

13.12.2013