VILNIUS — The energy ministry announced that the head of the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant would be removed from his post at the helm of operations and replaced by a diplomat, whose ties are expected to smooth things over with Brussels.

Energy minister Arvydas Sekmokas told parliament that he had removed the power plant head Viktoras Ševaldin and replaced him with [private_supervisor]Osvaldas Čiuksys, former diplomat and head of the of the Decommissioning Supervision Department of the state enterprise Radioactive Waste Management Agency. The EU is funding the shut down of the plant and so far has been unimpressed by the progress that has been made.

“We have to form a team of excellent experts since the situation is truly unsatisfactory. The European Commission is asking the Court of Auditors to check the use of funds for the shut down of the nuclear power plant. And we want to reshuffle the management, to improve it considerably. However, this requires absolutely different conditions,” Energy Minister Arvydas Sekmokas said during the government’s meeting where he discussed the future of the shutdown.

Čiuksys will be appointed on Friday.

“A very important stage is approaching — we will talk with the European Commission about funding of the shut down of the Ignalina nuclear power plant and his diplomatic background will be invaluable. He has excellent management skills and good motivation,” Sekmokas told the Baltic News Service.

Meanwhile, the government also decided to modify the terms of remuneration of the plant’s management because the EU is bank rolling the shut down.

The power plant was shut down because of the EU accession agreement that Lithuania signed in 2004. Part of the agreement was that Ignalina had to be shut down because it had a similar reactor to the one that exploded catastrophically in Chernobyl in 1986.

Though the government protested and asked for extensions on the shut down date, the EU stood firm and the plant was shut down on Jan.1, 2010. [/private_supervisor] [private_subscription 1 month]Osvaldas Čiuksys, former diplomat and head of the of the Decommissioning Supervision Department of the state enterprise Radioactive Waste Management Agency. The EU is funding the shut down of the plant and so far has been unimpressed by the progress that has been made.

“We have to form a team of excellent experts since the situation is truly unsatisfactory. The European Commission is asking the Court of Auditors to check the use of funds for the shut down of the nuclear power plant. And we want to reshuffle the management, to improve it considerably. However, this requires absolutely different conditions,” Energy Minister Arvydas Sekmokas said during the government’s meeting where he discussed the future of the shutdown.

Čiuksys will be appointed on Friday.

“A very important stage is approaching — we will talk with the European Commission about funding of the shut down of the Ignalina nuclear power plant and his diplomatic background will be invaluable. He has excellent management skills and good motivation,” Sekmokas told the Baltic News Service.

Meanwhile, the government also decided to modify the terms of remuneration of the plant’s management because the EU is bank rolling the shut down.

The power plant was shut down because of the EU accession agreement that Lithuania signed in 2004. Part of the agreement was that Ignalina had to be shut down because it had a similar reactor to the one that exploded catastrophically in Chernobyl in 1986.

Though the government protested and asked for extensions on the shut down date, the EU stood firm and the plant was shut down on Jan.1, 2010. [/private_subscription 1 month] [private_subscription 4 months]Osvaldas Čiuksys, former diplomat and head of the of the Decommissioning Supervision Department of the state enterprise Radioactive Waste Management Agency. The EU is funding the shut down of the plant and so far has been unimpressed by the progress that has been made.

“We have to form a team of excellent experts since the situation is truly unsatisfactory. The European Commission is asking the Court of Auditors to check the use of funds for the shut down of the nuclear power plant. And we want to reshuffle the management, to improve it considerably. However, this requires absolutely different conditions,” Energy Minister Arvydas Sekmokas said during the government’s meeting where he discussed the future of the shutdown.

Čiuksys will be appointed on Friday.

“A very important stage is approaching — we will talk with the European Commission about funding of the shut down of the Ignalina nuclear power plant and his diplomatic background will be invaluable. He has excellent management skills and good motivation,” Sekmokas told the Baltic News Service.

Meanwhile, the government also decided to modify the terms of remuneration of the plant’s management because the EU is bank rolling the shut down.

The power plant was shut down because of the EU accession agreement that Lithuania signed in 2004. Part of the agreement was that Ignalina had to be shut down because it had a similar reactor to the one that exploded catastrophically in Chernobyl in 1986.

Though the government protested and asked for extensions on the shut down date, the EU stood firm and the plant was shut down on Jan.1, 2010. [/private_subscription 4 months] [private_subscription 1 year]Osvaldas Čiuksys, former diplomat and head of the of the Decommissioning Supervision Department of the state enterprise Radioactive Waste Management Agency. The EU is funding the shut down of the plant and so far has been unimpressed by the progress that has been made.

“We have to form a team of excellent experts since the situation is truly unsatisfactory. The European Commission is asking the Court of Auditors to check the use of funds for the shut down of the nuclear power plant. And we want to reshuffle the management, to improve it considerably. However, this requires absolutely different conditions,” Energy Minister Arvydas Sekmokas said during the government’s meeting where he discussed the future of the shutdown.

Čiuksys will be appointed on Friday.

“A very important stage is approaching — we will talk with the European Commission about funding of the shut down of the Ignalina nuclear power plant and his diplomatic background will be invaluable. He has excellent management skills and good motivation,” Sekmokas told the Baltic News Service.

Meanwhile, the government also decided to modify the terms of remuneration of the plant’s management because the EU is bank rolling the shut down.

The power plant was shut down because of the EU accession agreement that Lithuania signed in 2004. Part of the agreement was that Ignalina had to be shut down because it had a similar reactor to the one that exploded catastrophically in Chernobyl in 1986.

Though the government protested and asked for extensions on the shut down date, the EU stood firm and the plant was shut down on Jan.1, 2010. [/private_subscription 1 year]

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