BNS: Lithuania's government still hopes to agree with Brussels on extension of N-plant lifespan
Updated 2008-10-13
VILNIUS, Oct 13, BNS - Despite failure of non-binding referendum, Lithuania's government still hopes to agree with the European Commission (EC) on the extension of lifespan of the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant (INPP), Prime Minister Gediminas Kirkilas has said. The government would not abandon those efforts, Lithuania's nuclear negotiator Aleksandras Abisala told BNS.
"We will recommend to the government to follow the same line - to seek for the extension of INPP operations till 2012-2013, i.e. till we have some alternatives," he said.
The most feasible alternative, which the government sought for, was a power link with Sweden, Kirkilas said.
"If the European Council [of 15-16 October] authorizes the European Commission to consider such an option, i.e. to extend the operations of the second unit temporarily, until other alternatives emerge, including, as I have said, Swedlit, which is the most feasible option... This is the decision we seek for," Kirkilas said during a news conference on Monday.
He admitted, however, that Lithuania had not been offered any alternatives so far, save that the EC President had pledged to take care of speeding up the construction of power links with Poland and Sweden.
Therefore Lithuania claims that it intends to extend the operations of its nuclear facility till mid-2012.
The absolute majority of voters who marked their referendum ballot papers opted for the extension of INPP operations, Kirkilas pointed out. He admitted, however, that referendum success would have made the positions of the government much stronger [in talks with the EC].
Government leader expressed hope that the discussions with the EC might be successful eventually.
"I think that general worsening of economic and financial situation should be useful for our discussions in some sense. It is very hard to imagine that the EC could decide to worsen the situation, and not just Lithuania's, in such a radical way," Kirkilas said.
In line with the commitments set out in the EU Accession Treaty, Lithuania shall close the sole running unit of INPP, which is considered unsafe by the West, late in 2009. The first unit of the facility was shut down late in 2004.
