Does Lukashenka hope “Russian” nuclear power plant will save him from Russia?

• 15.01.2008, 13:30

Alyaksandr Lukashenka is not fully satisfied with speed of preparatory works for construction of the nuclear power plant. At the same time he states the nuclear plant is a real opportunity to “counteract dictate of monopolists”, “minimise the damage caused as a result of critical situations” and “enhance independence.” It should be reminded that previously Lukashenka said he would construct nuclear plant with the help of Russia.

“Preparation for construction of the nuclear plant is slow, there is no distinct vision and algorithms of solution of fundamental tasks in the sphere of nuclear energy, there’s no perfect forecast for the construction with all inner and external factors taken into consideration. Most significant aspects – place of construction, project and main contractor, haven’t been defined yet,” the Belarusian ruler said at the sitting of the Security Council of Belarus.

The Belarusian ruler stated that a number of problems, defects, differences in approaches and views, absence of proper coordination are in the picture. “This situation can’t be born with any more, as it holds back speed of preparatory works,” A. Lukashenka noted.

He also paid his attention to the fact that “real mass propaganda work hasn’t been ensured.” “Some hot heads from the opponents of the authorities are trying obstinately to organise some kind of the so called extensive anti-nuclear public campaign,” he said. He has an impression that “some of our oppositionists and scientists live in vacuum.” “The whole world is geared to construction of nuclear stations in the connection with hike in price for hydrocarbon materials, it’s planned to construct a huge number of reactor tanks around Belarus. But “Belarusianness” run ahead of common sense at ours,” A. Lukashenka said. He added: “We begin to watch from around the corner and discuss – whether we need it or not. The whole world has already found its position, but we are just discussing.”

Counteract dictate of monopolists

Alyaksandr Lukashenka said the development of nuclear energy industry is the priority factor in ensuring the nation’s energy security and enhancing of state independence.

“The development of nuclear energy industry, along with the modernisation of the active energy grids, use of renewable energy sources, reduction of the GDP energy intensity and diversification of the sources of supply of hydrocarbon resources, is the priority factor in ensuring the nation’s energy security,” A. Lukashenka said at the sitting of the Security Council of the country.

According to him, it is “a real opportunity to counteract the dictate of monopolists and minimise the damage caused as a result of critical situations.” “In the long run, to provide additional guarantees of enhancing national independence and economic self-dependence,” said President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenka.

Nuclear power plant to be built “on a tight schedule”

As noted by Lukashenka, studies done to date have confirmed “firstly, economic expediency of a nuclear power plant construction, and secondly, presence of suitable territories for building a nuclear power plant, and thirdly, absence of technical obstacles for including the nuclear power station into the energy system of the country.”

As said by him, realization of the Belarusian nuclear project would demand to solve a number of new system-level problems: political, economic, scientific, ecological and social ones”.

As said by the Belarusian ruler, “Belarus starts realization of its own nuclear project against the background of difficult and contradictory tendencies at the world nuclear energy market”. “Everybody has made a dash for building reactors. The competition for access to uranium raw materials has become stiffer. Demand for it in the world is almost speculative,” A. Lukashenka noted.

In such conditions, as said by him, the country is to construct and set in operation the nuclear power plant on a tight schedule. “It’s a difficult, but feasible strategic objective for our state, and we are not going to give it up,” A. Lukashenka underlined.

Future generations are to appreciate it…

The Belarusian leader has told that “a moment has come when we are to analyze all those aspects and to make the main thing, to make a critical political decision concerning necessity of development of nuclear power industry in the country”. “This decision in actual fact has a historic character. Economic, energy, and consequently political independence of future generations of our Belarusians depends on it,” the leader of the state stressed.

He has also noted that “today we are laying the foundation of functioning the Belarusian state in the conditions when global problems of depletion of hydrocarbon resources on the Earth get aggravated”. “I think that future generations are to appreciate our decision,” Lukashenka said.