In summer 2001 the public and political association Yabloko is going to "finish the organisational period for the preparation and gathering of votes against imports of nuclear waste into Russia."

This decision was announced on July 2, 2001 by Igor Artemyev at a press conference in St. Petersburg.

Yabloko plans to collect about 2-3 mln signatures at the referendum. "I am sure that we will succeed," said Artemyev, adding that 37 regions of Russia had already conducted meetings organised by Yabloko and its supporters against the import of nuclear waste into Russia.

At the same time Artemyev thinks that the Central Electoral Commission may only receive the application for the referendum in spring 2002.

According to Artemyev, if the President signs the laws allowing for imports, the conservation and recycling of nuclear waste into Russia, spent nuclear fuel may be imported into Russia not only on the basis of international contracts, but also on domestic civil law contracts.

According to Yabloko, "today the Ministry of Nuclear Power has already received thousands of proposals from different firms and companies, including those connected with criminal businesses, on the burial of nuclear waste on Russia's territory."

However, Yabloko hopes that the President "will return the package of
draft laws to the State Duma for further development”. In this case, noted Artemyev, the faction would insist on the import of nuclear waste into Russia "only on the basis of international contracts that require their ratification by parliament."

In addition Yabloko proposes that the State Duma should receive an
"economic feasibility study for each transaction" and establish a special commission which "would study the situation with Russian nuclear waste."

According to Artemyev, if the aforementioned laws enter into force,
Russia will face “a threat related to the transport of [spent nuclear] fuel across the country, an absolutely opaque economic mechanism of their implementation and unpredictable future for our children."

Based on Interfax reports.

See also:

Nuclear Waste Bill section of the web-site