The discussions, which would be opened at the Seimas on Thursday, April 25, would shape the content of Lithuania’s address to its regional partners in the NPP project, Latvia and Estonia, Algirdas Butkevičius has said at a news conference in Brussels on Wednesday.
"As to the nuclear power plant in the future, we may make a decision in parliament in two weeks," he said during a press briefing in Brussels when asked about mixed messages sent by politicians in recent days about the Visaginas nuclear power plant project.
Asked by BNS to provide more details about the decisions that might be made within two weeks, Butkevičius replied that “during that period, we will definitely make decisions on what we will tell our regional partners.”
“I mean that we will open the discussion as early as tomorrow and we expect certain conclusions on what we will tell our regional partners to be made at the political level. Estonia and Latvia have asked us to provide financial and economic arguments supporting the project so that they can review them,” Prime Minister told BNS by phone from Brussels.
“The Seimas authorized the government to submit its conclusions on the construction of a nuclear facility in Visaginas by May 15. We have said that to our partners in Latvia and Estonia. As regards the wording of the message we will send them, this will be known after discussions in the Seimas,” Butkevičius said.
“As far as the role of parliament is concerned, it may say that we will not build and then all that’s left will be to notify Latvia and Estonia. But I think this won’t happen. If there is a regional project, we shall continue our cooperation irrespective of the conclusions of the working group,” government leader said.
The Seimas has given the government until May 15 to present experts' findings on Lithuania's energy security to parliament. A working group has been tasked with answering questions on how to ensure the country's energy security with or without a new nuclear power facility.
On MOnday, Butkevičius presented an updated draft National Energy Strategy to political partners and the president. He then said that the project of Visaginas nuclear power plant could not be implemented in its current form and it could only be reopened if its costs were lowered and the cost price of electricity generation at the new facility was reduced.
Energy Minister Jaroslav Neverovič said earlier this week that talks with Hitachi on building a nuclear power facility in Visaginas could be continued, provided that the Japanese corporation were willing to invest in the project. At the same time, he underlined the importance of gaining public approval for building a new nuclear power plant.
