Boris Shmelyov, director of Center for Political Studies

– Return to nuclear energy is a common policy in the EU

Last week two countries said that they were going to develop nuclear energy. Croatian Nuclear Society (HND) says that by 2020 Croatia should build a nuclear reactor. Energy shortfalls, unstable supplies, high prices will be the factors that will force small countries to start developing nuclear energy. During a forum on nuclear energy in Prague Prime Minister of Estonia Andrus Ansip said that the development of nuclear energy helps to enhance the energy security of the European Union. That’s why Estonia advocates its development.

The time when Europe defied nuclear energy has gone. Today, many European countries realize that without nuclear energy their future will be vague as the prices of oil and gas are growing and they have to spend more and more money on their purchase. One more reason why Europe is returning to nuclear energy is that people are no longer afraid of nuclear reactors as they know that today they are very safe. Besides, the European countries do not produce oil and gas but just buy them. So, they are getting increasingly dependent on the oil and gas prices on the market and the political situation in the countries exporting this fuel. Own NPPs will make Europe independent and will boost its economic development. That’s why the return to nuclear energy in a common tendency in the EU.