Irina Sukhiy: Democratic government can not spit upon the people's opinion

Despite the fact that the referendum results on a new NPP construction in Lithuania have been advisory in nature, it's highly unlikely that the Lithuanian government will go against people’s opinion.

This opinion was expressed by Irina Sukhiy, chairperson of the board of the Public Association “Eco House”, to the EuroBelarus Information Service.           

Let’s recall that last Sunday, a consultative referendum was held in Lithuania on the issue of construction of the new nuclear power plant. The voter turnout was more than 51.5%.

Lithuanians voted against the nuclear power plant construction. Based on the preliminary data of the Central Election Commission, a clear advantage of the NPP construction opponents is evident; as 33.96% voted for (289.5 thousand), while 62.7% (526.538 thousand) of the referendum participants voted against. Thus, the position of the referendum, "I support the construction of a new nuclear power plant in Lithuania" hasn’t been accepted.

For Irina Sukhiy, the results of the Lithuanian referendum had been quite expected:

- I’ve talked to many people, saw their mood. All sensible Lithuanians understand that Lithuania doesn’t need any nuclear power, noted the environmentalist.

All the same, Irina Sukhiy recalled that when the decision to hold a referendum was taken the Lithuanian parliament said that the plebiscite results would have only an advisory character. Thus, the construction of a new nuclear power plant in Lithuania could be launched, in principle, despite the fact that Lithuanians who participated in the referendum said "no" to the NPP construction.

- It was not a referendum which took the decision. It was held just to feel out the public opinion on the power plant construction, explained Irina Sukhiy. Still, I have little idea what kind of the government, considering itself being democratic, may not care about people's opinion and launch a nuclear power plant construction. In the Lithuanian case, such a situation seems to me unrealistic.

In Belarus, holding a national referendum on the people's attitude to the nuclear power plant construction in Astravets wasn’t even mentioned. But if the referendum still was held in the country, what attitude would express Belarusan citizens about the issue?

- I'm sure that most Belarusans would also speak out against the construction of the nuclear power plant, believes Irina Sukhiy. But you understand that under the current regime, expecting to receive truthful referendum results is useless. Even if it was decided to hold a referendum on the nuclear power plant construction in Belarus, we would still never know the real opinion of the people.