Press release, 22 February 2016
Photos of the Office of the Seimas (author Džoja Gunda Barysaitė)
At the meeting with Maroš Šefčovič, Vice-President of the European Commission for Energy Union, Loreta Graužinienė, Speaker of the Seimas, voiced her concerns related to Astravyets Nuclear Power Plant that is currently under construction in Belarus, close to Lithuania. The Speaker argued that the construction was carried out with no regard for international environmental and nuclear safety requirements and recommendations, and that it posed threats to the environment not only in Lithuania but the whole Europe as well.
“It is with great concern that we observe the construction of the Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) just several dozen kilometres from the Lithuanian border, which also means the European Union border. As we may not remain just indifferent observers of the construction of such non-transparent objects, we hope for the European Union’s clear and unanimous position on Astravyets NPP,” says Ms Graužinienė.
The meeting also focussed on Klaipėda Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) Terminal and creation of the regional gas market. The LNG Terminal, which has been operating in Klaipėda since 2015, has not only economic significance – it is at the same time a guarantor of energy security of the Baltic States. In the view of the Speaker of the Parliament, the Lithuanian LNG Terminal has all the potential to become a regional facility that would satisfy 90 per cent of the natural gas demand of the Baltic States.
“We hope for the European Union’s support and remain open to various energy projects that would allow efficient use of Klaipėda LNG Terminal,” said the Speaker during the meeting.
Maroš Šefčovič, Vice-President of the European Commission, commended Lithuania on the progress in the implementation of strategic energy projects. The guest emphasised that the European Commission would devote adequate attention to the Baltic grid synchronisation project.
Rosvaldas Gorbačiovas, Senior Adviser to the Speaker of the Seimas,
tel. +370 5 239 6005, mob. +370 698 42 071; e-mail: [email protected]
