28/10/2020 (Agence Europe) – On Tuesday 27 October, Lithuania sent a diplomatic note to the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs to protest against the operation of the Ostrovets nuclear power plant. Described as “ irresponsible” and “ premature”, the start-up of the power plant “poses security threats to the citizens of Lithuania, Belarus, and the European Union”, Vilnius believes. The Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Linas Linkevičius, reiterated the European Union’s position that “the safety and security of nuclear installations (...) remains of great importance for the EU relations with Belarus”. In conclusions adopted on 12 October by the EU Council and confirmed on 16 October by the European Council, the EU had further urged the country “to comply with the highest international environmental and safety standards and implement the EU stress tests recommendations without delay”. (DG)