The expert: The main goal of the campaign launched by Azerbaijan to close the Armenian nuclear power plant is the destruction of the Armenian statehood

ArmInfo.  The main goal of the  campaign launched by Azerbaijan to close the Armenian nuclear power  plant is the destruction of the Armenian statehood. A well- known  Armenian analyst Sergey Shakaryants follows this point of view.  In  conversation with ArmInfo  reportes the analyst stressed that it is  behind the task of destroying Armenian statehood that the propaganda  hype spread by official Baku lies. But the point is, Shakaryants  continued, that this hype is massively supported by Turkey, and,  strange as it may seem, the European Union. Four years ago, an EU  representative visited Armenia, who offered 200 million euros for the  closure of the Armenian nuclear power plant. Moreover, the EU is  ready to finance the dismantling of the station, but it is not ready  to give a cent to replace the capacity with the ANPP. "The funds our  so-called European partners give only for the dismantling and  conservation of the ANPP, offering nothing in return," the analyst  said, pointing out in this connection a whole series of scandals  related to the bribery of a number of European parliamentarians by  Azerbaijan.

He recalled the revelations of YP deputy from Sweden Yuran Linberg,  who in 2014 openly admitted that he had lobbied Azerbaijan's  interests in the European Parliament. "And when he was" deprived "of  the subsidy and the next" tranche, "he decided to become an honest  man, or take the chairman of the Parliamentary Assembly of the  Council of Europe, Pedro Agramunt, around which this year numerous  scandals involving bribery have unfolded. This is part of an active  propaganda Campaign on the part of the Azerbaijani state, who is not  shy to bribe some European officials who are bringing the issue of  the closure of the ANPP to the agenda of the talks between Armenia  and the EU.This is what we are talking about, and not about the fact  that the Armenians Kaya NPP poses a threat to the region ", - said  the analyst.

The expert recalled  recalled that in 1988 the station withstood the  powerful impact of the Spitak earthquake, practically unaffected.  After re-commissioning the station in 1995, the ANPP not only  repeatedly upgraded, but also strengthened the so-called minimum  guarantees for operational safety. And this fact was noted by both  Armenian and Russian specialists who are closely involved in these  issues. This is also evidenced by IAEA experts who emphasize that the  station is impeccable from the point of view of operational safety.  "Our neighbors simply want to deprive Armenia of the minimal energy  independence that it possesses, to put an end to our ability to sell  electricity, including from nuclear power plants," Shakaryants said,  pointing to the lack of reaction from Azerbaijan for nuclear power  plant construction projects. Turkey and Iran. After all, in both  states new Rosatom company is building new nuclear power units, which  implements the project in Armenia. "Both the Akuyu nuclear power  plant in Turkey and Bushehr are equipped with the same reactors,  though modernized as at the ANPP. And seismic activity in these  countries is not less than in Armenia, "Shakaryants said, he  continued, these stations will operate on the same Russian nuclear  fuel.

"Why thes factors do not cause any doubts in Baku, and the viability  of the Armenian nuclear power plant that proved its modernity makes  them doubt? Yes, because by stopping the ANPP, one can safely start  bombing of the territory of Armenia," the analyst believes. In his  opinion, the presence of a nuclear facility with loaded nuclear fuel  is an additional guarantee of the state's security. After the nuclear  power plant was temporarily stopped in Yugoslavia, the bombing of  this country from the side of NATO aviation immediately began. I  repeat once again: our neighbors really want to hold an action in  order to then make an attempt to destroy the Armenian statehood,  "Shakaryants said, while expressing bewilderment at the position of  the EU, which is in line with Baku's position in the issue of the  ANPP.It is curious that both Baku and Brussels do not Made any  statements regarding the construction of nuclear power plants in  Turkey and Iran, whose territories are subject to seismic and other  risks no less than Armenia.  

We must understand that energy is the life of society, the blood  system of the state, and the ANPP plays a major role in it, providing  about 40% of all electricity produced in the country, "the expert  said, while expressing doubts about the possibilities of alternative  and renewable energy, which Today much is said in Armenia. "It is  simply not serious to talk about other sources of generation,  including solar energy, since electricity from renewable and  alternative generation facilities is more expensive. And for such a  poor country as Armenia, the price factors for electricity and  ecology are of decisive importance. Therefore, all conversations on  the part of our neighbors about the dangerous nature of the ANPP are  unsubstantiated and aimed at destroying the Armenian statehood.