Did you know that every Belarusian, regardless of age, will pay at least a thousand dollars for Lukashenko's grandiose caprice? The very caprice that he considers a huge personal victory, although in fact it is a huge burden for the whole nation, and we have to live with that burden for decades to come. The Belarusian nuclear power plant has been constructed, ostensibly, in order not to depend on the Russian oil and gas, but that aspiration has yielded a completely opposite effect. Now we are dependent not only on oil and gas, but also on Russian nuclear fuel. We are totally dependent on the reliability of Russian technology. We have further exacerbated our financial dependence on Russia. The cost of the Ostrovets plant is estimated at about $10 billion, 90 percent of which is a Russian loan. We will pay it back over 10 years - a billion every year. And when the plant exhausts its working life, we will need several billion dollars more to close it down in line with all regulations. We are told that the plant will pay for itself in 10-15 years, but how true are these calculations? The situation is no longer developing according to the script of the illegitimate authorities. They thought that the energy from the plant would be bought by the Baltic States, but their neighbours have firmly said that they do not intend to do that. For them the safety issue is much more important than economy. We, Belarusians, should also think about it. It is 50 kilometres from Ostrovets to Vilnius and about 140 kilometres to Minsk. When the Chernobyl disaster happened 35 years ago, Belarusian scientists noticed how the background radiation went off the scale. But it is more than 440 kilometres from Minsk to Chernobyl. Belarus built the plant, ignoring the fears of Lithuania and other EU countries. Foreign observers were not allowed at the site. An exception was made only for representatives of the IAEA, an organisation interested in promoting nuclear power and which had no questions about either the Chernobyl plant or Fukushima. Now we can only guess how well the work was done and whether the safety requirements were strictly followed. Official Minsk does not skimp on assurances, but even the most recent experience suggests that they should not be believed. The Lukashenko administration has treated the pandemic coronavirus with utter neglect and blatant irresponsibility. The existence of the disease was denied, doctors were left to their own devices, and we all know what the Belarusian statistics are worth. Where is the guarantee that the situation is different with NPPs? There is no guarantee, and one does not want to test it on oneself. After the start-up of the first power unit, the plant had to be shut down several times because the equipment could not sustain it. Once again we are assured that there are no serious problems and we find it hard to believe it again. In the foreseeable future, we will have a chance to get more reliable information about how safe the Astraviec plant is. Next week, experts from ENSREG, the European Nuclear Safety Regulators Group, will visit the plant. The group, set up in 2007 by the European Commission, brings together competent officials from all nuclear-related EU countries. The evaluation process, unfortunately, will not be quick. After the first visit the experts have already scheduled a second one, in May or June. Only upon its completion will a final report be prepared. In the meantime, the nuclear power plant continues its work. Before starting work in Ostrowiec, we are calling on ENSREG experts. Your objective unbiased assessment is extremely important for Belarus. It is important for our neighbours. It's important for all of us. We are talking about people's lives and the credibility of the nuclear power industry. Your mission is important for the entire continent. We count on your professionalism and your professional expertise. Belarus must not be a nuclear threat neither for citizens of Belarus nor for citizens of other countries.