The leader of the Yabloko faction Grigory Yavlinsky said that the adoption by the State Duma at its second reading of draft laws allowing for the import of nuclear waste from abroad represents an "irreparable mistake in the long-term".

"Turning down the amendments proposed by Yabloko, the factions and deputy groups supporting the Ministry of Nuclear Energy demonstrated that they conscientiously agree to the import of nuclear waste to Russia in exchange of money and the privileges that they will obviously obtain from such actions", stated Yavlinsky. He added: "We protest against this position and think that the decision to import nuclear waste to Russia will have irreparable consequences, and the our grandchildren and great-grandchildren will be made to pay."

The Yabloko faction had proposed the introduction of the following norms into the draft laws:

1.Mandatory expatriation of all the recycled and waste products

2.Parliamentary control in the form of approval by federal law for each operation to import nuclear waste.

3.Allocation of all the funds obtained from these transactions (except for reduced recycling costs and taxes) to ecological programmes for the rehabilitation of contaminated territories.

4.Formation of a special budget fund independent from the Ministry of Nuclear Energy to finance ecological programmes.

According to the Yabloko leader, all these proposals were "cynically rejected" by the Duma majority. At the same time Yavlinsky noted that "all the amendments adopted by the Duma are insignificant and decorative in nature." He also pointed out to journalists that the Ministry of Nuclear Energy had to re-vote on the variants of draft laws several times to establish a version suitable for the ministry, and also referred to the "huge number of demagogic statements" accompanying all this action.

Yavlinsky also stressed that Yabloko would try to achieve the rejection of these draft laws that permit the import of nuclear waste to Russia from abroad during their subsequent review by the State Duma and the Federation Council.

"We will once again appeal to the President of Russia to consider this irreparable decision, if the law is finally adopted by the Federal Assembly," added Yavlinsky.

Voting results on April 18, 2001 for the amendments to Article 50 of the law "On Environmental Protection" allowing for the import of nuclear waste to Russia (as a percentage of the deputies in the factions and deputy groups).

"for"
Yabloko 0.0%
CPRF 38.8%
Unity 83.7%
Fatherland-All Russia 58.7%
Union of Right-Wing Forces 0.0%
LDPR 92.3%
People's Deputy 65.0%
Russia's Regions 47.8%
Agro-Industrial Group 42.9%

The Yabloko faction was the only faction to unanimously vote against the draft laws of the Ministry of Nuclear Energy during their review by the State Duma at the first reading on December 21, 2001. During the second reading, the Union of Right-Wing Forces faction adopted the same position as Yabloko.

According to public opinion polls, over 90% of the country's population oppose imports of nuclear waste to Russia.

See also:

Nuclear waste bill section of the web-site