European Action Day to stop Lithuanian NPP project

Action in Riga

Action in Riga

Action in Riga

Action in Riga

Action in Riga

flyer of the action in Berlin

• European Action Day on November 5, 2012 to do actions in front of Lithuanian embassies to remind the government to implement the "No to Visaginas NPP" referendum from October 2012 to the legislation - the new atomic power station has to be stopped!
  • action at the Lithuanian embassy in Berlin at 1.30 PM
  • action at the Lithuanian embassy in Riga (Latvia)
  • action in St. Petersburg (RUS)
• sign the petition to push the Lithuanian government to not violate their own laws
• petition text in German
• material:
  • November 9 Greenpeace Russia letter to Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaitė and to the Parliament
  • reporting media release in English and German
  • open letter
  • announcing media release in English and German
  • flyer to announce the action in Berlin

text based on the petition:
Lithuanian politicians are trying to ignore citizens’ “No” to a new nuclear power plant (NPP), which was clearly expressed in a nation-wide referendum attended by 52,5 percent of voters with 62,6 percent voting against the new NPP on 14 October, 2012.

The referendum has caused a headache to Japanese American company “Hitachi-GE” which planned to sell their 5 billion Euros worth reactor to Lithuania after their nuclear projects have been stopped in Japan following the Fukushima disaster. “Hitachi” already declared they will make additional efforts to promote their nuclear business in Lithuania as if they didn’t realize the decision of the referendum.

Lithuanian president Dalia Grybauskaite and the leaders of the major political parties talk about the further development despite the decision of the referendum. Despite the referendum was consultative (deliberative), its decision is legally binding and the Parliament is enforced to act on it by law within one month after the announcement of the results.

The new amendments to pro-nuclear laws are already prepared. We request Lithuanian politicians to accept the decision of the nation and act on it.

CALL FOR ACTION

Your solidarity needed to implement referendum result against a new NPP in Lithuania

Different groups from Lithuanian antinuclear movement call citizens of other countries to protest for democracy in Lithuania on November 5th.

On October 14, 2012 Lithuania had a referendum asking citizens whether or not they want a new nuclear power station in their country. More than half of the voters participated in the referendum and 62 percent of them said "NO". However, most leading political parties said they don't care what the nation decided. It would be unconstitutional to ignore people's decision to become a nuclear-free country.

We seek international support to pressure our politicians to implement the results of the referendum and shift energy policy towards sustainable solutions.

On the 5th of November, a protest is being organized by Zali.lt and Anti Atom Berlin in front of Lithuanian embassy in Berlin. Lithuanian antinuclear movement asks for your solidarity to organize protest actions the same day at Lithuanian embassy or consulate in your country.

We also call the civil society in Latvia and Estonia to protest against their governments' undemocratic position. The prime ministers of those two countries said they are waiting for Lithuanian government's decision regarding referendum result, instead of directly withdrawing from the project because of referendum result.

Please also sign a petition on Avaaz community petitions:

• http://www.avaaz.org/en/petition/Implement_decision_of_the_referendum_against_the_construction_of_a_new_nuclear_power_plant/?cbEmFdb

Republic of Lithuania Law on Referendum (Article 8):

• http://www3.lrs.lt/pls/inter3/dokpaieska.showdoc_e?p_id=433985&p_query=&p_tr2=2

Media coverage on the case:

• Lithuanians send nuclear plant back to drawing board. Reuters (be aware of mistake in the article - the referendum was binding)
• Lithuanians' rejection of nuclear plant deals blow to Hitachi. Kyodo News Service (be aware of mistake in the article - the referendum was binding)

More information on the issue:

• Linas Vainius: linas AT atgaja.lt
• Laura Gintalaite: laura.gintalaite AT gmail.com (please inform about your action before and after it)

Reports

Latvia

Latvian activity was organized by The Green Party and consisted of 2 parts: a picket and a putting of candles in remembrance of victims of nuclear accidents.

The picket started at 12.00 and lasted for ~ 1 hour, gathering 15-20 people. People from the Green Party were dressed in white protective garments and were holding posters with different slogans, such as "No Means No!", "It's Better To Be Active Than Radioactive", "People Have The Right To Make Decisions About Their Fate". Some posters were in Lithuanian, too.

Members of the Green Party said that embassy officials did not come outside, but contacted the police instead. One police unit came and asked activists to move farther because protests cannot take place closer than 50 meters from an embassy. However, the police officers were friendly and even admitted that they support activists.

The 2nd part of the activity started at 17.30. A big cross, made of cemetery candles, was set in front of the Lithuanian Embassy. Embassy officials showed no "signs of life" during this activity and no-one interrupted activists. When the cross was ready, they made a decision to leave the candles until the next morning. The person responsible for removal of the cross informed that when he arrived around 8 AM he found the cross absolutely unharmed with some of the candles still burning.

Russia

• One-person rally at Lithuanian Consulate in St Peterspurg. Slogans "Against NPP construction in Lithuania", "Against NPP in the Baltics", "For Nuclear-Free Baltic"

Media coverage

• Fotos von Aktion - 2012-11-05-Kundgebung vor der Litauischen Botschaft (photo gallery) German
• Litauen: Nein zum AKW! Ne atominei! German
• {LT} Litauen muss "Referendum gegen Atomkraft" in die Tat umsetzen (November 13, 2012) German
• Nein zum AKW! Ne atominei! (November 10, 2012) German
• Environmental activists staged anti-nuclear protest outside Lithuanian embassy in Berlin (November 10, 2012) English
• Civil society in Germany demanded to implement Lithuanian referendum results (November 10, 2012) English
• Civil society in Germany demanded to implement Lithuanian referendum results (November 9, 2012) English
• 05.11 - антиатомный пикет у консульства Литвы в Петербурге (November 7, 2012) Russian
• Pilietinė visuomenė Vokietijoje reikalavo įgyvendinti referendumo rezultatus (November 7, 2012) Lithuanian
• Pilietinė visuomenė Vokietijoje reikalavo įgyvendinti referendumo rezultatus (November 7, 2012) Lithuanian
• Lietuviai kartu su vokiečiais Berlyne reikalavo nestatyti atominės elektrinės (November 6, 2012) Lithuanian
• Protestē pret atomelektrostacijas būvēšanu (November 6, 2012) Latvian
• Protestuotojai Berlyne reikalavo atsižvelgti į referendumo dėl atominės elektrinės rezultatus (includes a photo gallery) (November 6, 2012) Lithuanian
• Surengė protestą dėl referendumo rezultatų įgyvendinimo (November 6, 2012) Lithuanian
• Pilietinė visuomenė Vokietijoje reikalavo įgyvendinti referendumo rezultatus (November 6, 2012) Lithuanian
• Berlyne - reikalavimai Lietuvai įgyvendinti referendumo rezultatu (November 6, 2012) Lithuanian
• Pilietinė visuomenė Vokietijoje reikalauja įgyvendinti referendumo rezultatus (November 6, 2012) Lithuanian
• Eiropas "zaļie" šodien vienojas protestos pie Lietuvas vēstniecībām pret Visgainas AES (November 5, 2012) Latvian
• Zaļās partijas aktīvisti protestē pret Visgainas AES būvniecību (includes a photo gallery) (November 5, 2012) Latvian
• Galerija: Protests pret Visaginas AES būvniecību pie Lietuvas vēstniecības (includes a photo gallery) (November 5, 2012) Latvian
• Foto: Rīgā «zaļie» protestē pret Visgainas AES būvniecību (includes a photo gallery) (November 5, 2012) Latvian
• Сегодня у консульства Литвы в С.-Петербурге прошла серия одиночных пикетов против планов сооружения Висагинской АЭС в Литве (November 5, 2012) Russian
• Berlin: “Referendum in die Tat umsetzen” – Kundgebung vor der Botschaft Litauens (November 5, 2012) German
• Pilietinė visuomenė Vokietijoje reikalavo įgyvendinti referendumo rezultatus (November 5, 2012) Lithuanian
• Litauen muss "Referendum gegen Atomkraft" in die Tat umsetzen (November 4, 2012) German
• Litauen muss "Referendum gegen Atomkraft" in die Tat umsetzen (November 4, 2012) German
• Eiropas "Zaļie" pirmdien protestēs pie Lietuvas vēstniecībām, arī Latvijā (November 4, 2012) Latvian
• Kundgebung vor der Litauischen Botschaft German