The case on violation of Aarhus Convention by Belarus is considered in UNO

On September, 21—24 the Committee on observance of Aarhus Convention of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe was considering the case of violations of the convention positions during realization of the project of Belarusian nuclear power plant.

As a result of the consideration, which took place in Geneva, it was decided to continue the investigation, inquiring additional information by official Minsk, BelaPAN writes.

On September, 22 the Committee was hearing the representatives of Belarusian authorities Mikhail Pihuleusky (Ministry of Energy), Alyaksandr Andreyeu (Ministry of Nature), and also the observers from the side of the public: Irina Sukhiy (Public Association "Ecodom"), Tatsiana Novikava (Public environmental expertise of the Belarusian nuclear power plant) and a Russian physicist Andrei Ozharovsky- he was arrested last year in Astraviec during the public hearings on nuclear power plant.

The members of the Committee paid special attention to the facts of non-presentation to the public of the information connected with the nuclear power plant, in particular the full version of the Environmental Impact Assessment, and to the facts of the absence of official answers to organizations’ requests.

The prosecution of citizens and experts in Belarus, in particular, arrest of Ozharovsky, who personally gave the explanations to the Committee on this case, raised a serious concern by members of the Committee. Members of the Committee examined the issue connected with decision taking about the construction of nuclear power plant without public involvement, discussed the organization of hearings in Astraviec, and also the construction of the nuclear power plant de facto.

The Committee asked Belarusian ministries to present lacking information: official answers to public organizations, explanations concerning prosecution of activists of anti-nuclear movement.

In December the Committee will take a decision on the Belarusian nuclear power plant case and, as it is expected, will give its recommendations to the country.