Baltic States – CIS, Energy, Latvia, Legislation, Nuclear power plant

"It is highly important to Latvia to exchange information with neighbor countries on radiation and nuclear safety, paying special attention to those countries that have nuclear power plants or that are planning their construction. I am also calling on the IAEA to pay special attention and ensure the supervision of the Astravyets nuclear power plant in Belarus, since it is located 110 kilometers from the Latvian border," Gerhards said.

Amano indicated that the IAEA does not directly interfere with countries' decisions, but that the agency urges them to ensure transparency in decision-making, which is why each country's political support is highly important. The head of the agency told Gerhards that the IAEA would send several teams of experts to Belarus to assess the power plant's safety.

Gerhards also informed Amano about the decommissioning of the Salaspils Research Reactor outside Riga, which has to be completed by 2020. Speaking about the Visaginas nuclear power plant project in Lithuania, Gerhards said that it is essential to take into consideration the project's economic aspects and the development of the regional electricity market, paying close attention to safety standards and the environmental impact assessment.

IAEA Director General Amano is visiting Latvia this week.