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NITRA REGION, 28 April (BelTA) – The Emergencies Ministry of Belarus and the Nuclear Regulatory Authority of the Slovak Republic signed a memorandum of information exchange and cooperation in nuclear safety regulation, BelTA has learned.

The document was signed by Emergencies Minister of Belarus Vladimir Vashchenko and Chairperson of the Nuclear Regulatory Authority of the Slovak Republic Marta Ziakova during their visit to the Mochovce Nuclear Power Plant on 28 April.

Olga Lugovskaya, Head of the Nuclear and Radiation Safety Department of the Belarusian Emergencies Ministry (Gosatomnadzor), told BelTA that the memorandum will help share information in the area of regulation, development of normative acts, inspections, etc. “The Slovakian regulating body is highly experienced. The country has been using nuclear power plants for a long time already. The construction of the third and fourth power units of the Mochovce Nuclear Power Plant are currently underway. We are interested in cooperation. Within the agreement we can cooperate in a wide range of areas related to regulation,” noted Olga Lugovskaya. The sides will be able to share information on emergency response in part of regulating actions.

According to Olga Lugovskaya, Belarus has signed similar agreements with a number of countries, including Russia, Poland, Ukraine, Hungary, Norway, Finland, and Sweden.

Belarus Prime Minister Andrei Kobyakov is completing his two-day visit to Slovakia. On 27 April the premier held one-on-one talks with Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico and also attended a session with the participation of the delegations, took part in the opening of the Belarusian-Slovak business forum, met with representatives of Slovak companies. On 28 April Andrei Kobyakov laid a wreath at Slavin, the memorial monument to the Soviet Army soldiers who fell during World War II while liberating the city from the Nazis. The Belarusian head of government also visited the Mochovce Nuclear Power Plant situated between the cities of Nitra and Levice. Today the plant has two operating VVER-440 power units, with another two under construction.