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| Human
foetus deformed by radioactivity, Mayak, Russia © Greenpeace
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Radioactivity
victim, Mayak, Russia © Greenpeace |
Radioactivity
victim, Mayak, Russia © Greenpeace |
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GREENPEACE
CONDEMNS PUTIN FOR GIVING GREEN LIGHT TO NUCLEAR WASTE IMPORTS
11
July 2001
Moscow:
Greenpeace today slammed the Russian President, Vladimir Putin,
for endorsing changes to the country's environmental law which
pave the way for vast radioactive waste imports to Russia. Under
the Russian constitution, the legal amendments enter into force
with today's Presidential signature.
"Greenpeace
will oppose every single ounce of nuclear waste that enters
Russian territory. It will use all possible non-violent means
to protect Russia from this nuclear invasion," said Tobias
Muenchmeyer of Greenpeace.
Putin's
signature marks the end of a 10 month decision making process,
during which public opposition against the import of radioactive
waste has escalated. It has become a main public political issue
in Russia. According to a recent opinion poll commissioned by
Greenpeace, 79.5 percent of the Russian population wanted President
Putin to block nuclear waste imports.
"On
becoming President, Putin vowed 'to protect the sovereignty
and independence, security and integrity of the state and to
serve the people faithfully'. With this signature Putin has
broken his vow. This decision is against the will of the people
and allows the import of radioactive waste that will pose a
threat to Russians for hundreds and thousands of years to come.
Putin is selling Russia and betraying his people," said
Vladimir Chuprov, energy expert of Greenpeace in Russia.
Over
the last 10 days, Greenpeace in Russia has observed large scale
propaganda in the Russian media promoting the import of nuclear
waste. Counter arguments and critical voices of environmental
experts and organisations appear to have been excluded from
the media. "This has all of the hallmarks of the old authoritarian
Soviet State, when there was no freedom of opinion. This propaganda
shows that the President is afraid of debate and public opinion,"
added Chuprov.
The
scale of potential nuclear waste exports to Russia will depend
upon utilities and governments in the so-called 'client' states
exporting their nuclear waste as well as on U.S. Government
authorisation, as the U.S. controls up to 90 percent of the
spent nuclear fuel in the world.
Read
the full press
release
