Lithuanians reject nuke plant proposal in referendum

PanARMENIAN.Net - Lithuanians rejected a proposal to build a nuclear power plant in a referendum, the country's election authorities said on Monday, Oct 15, RIA Novosti reported.

According to the Central Elections Committee, 64.87 percent of voters were against the plant, while 35.31 percent supported it.

The advisory referendum was held on Sunday alongside elections to the Lithuanian parliament, Seimas. Voter turnout was at 50.13 percent. Deputy Chair of the CEC Laura Gumulyauskene said that “not all the voters who took part in the parliamentary election voted in the referendum, which is why it is unclear if the results of the referendum can be accepted or not.” In order for the referendum to be valid, 50 percent of the voters need to take part.

Lithuania planned to build a new nuclear power plant along the Baltic states of Latvia and Estonia.

The Lithuanian parliament passed all the laws required for the plant to be built, but later at an extraordinary session, it decided to hold an advisory referendum along with the parliamentary elections.

The results of the advisory referendum are non-binding.