DISINFO: Lithuania fights against Belarusian NPP on the orders of Sweden and Finland
SUMMARY
Lithuania’s allegation about insufficient security of the Belarusian nuclear power plant are ungrounded. Lithuania opposes the Belarusian nuclear power plant in Astravets on the orders of Sweden and Finland.
RESPONSE
Conspiracy theory. On 20 April 2017, the Lithuanian parliament passed a bill imposing a ban on import of electricity from Belarus' nuclear power plant in Astravets. This position is based on security concerns rather than orders by Sweden or Finland. Lithuania's grids are still synchronised with Russia and Belarus. The Baltic states agreed to become a part of continental Europe's energy system by 2025. On 7 June 2011 Lithuania lodged a complaint with the Implementing Committee of the Convention on Environmental Impact Assessment (the Espoo Convention) on Astravets nuclear power plant case. The February 2019 draft decision of the Meeting of the Parties of the Espoo Convention acknowledged that Belarus had failed to comply with some Convention provisions and encouraged Belarus and Lithuania to continue bilateral expert consultations. More information regarding the position of Lithuanian MFA concerning this issue to be found here. For more disinformation cases on Astravets nuclear power plant see here.