France, Finland agree to join Belarus NPP monitoring

French and Finnish ecologists are ready to join the public environmental impact monitoring of the Belarusian nuclear power plant (NPP), Chairman of the Council of the Belarusian public association Ecological Initiative Yuri Solovyov told a press conference hosted by BelTA on 25 April.

“Our French and Finnish counterparts confirmed their readiness to take part in the program to monitor the construction of the nuclear power plant in Belarus,” he said.

In his words, the matter pertains to the study of the NPP impact on the flora and fauna of the Viliya river basin not far from the NPP construction site and the impact of the plant on other environmental components in the vicinity. It is expected that this stage of the monitoring program will be launched this year.

Belarusian ecologists are working on the budget necessary for the implementation of these programs and reimbursement of the costs of transfer, catering and staying for foreign colleagues who are expected to partake in the monitoring, Yuri Solovyov said.