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In Turkey, anti nuclear protestors mark anniversary of Chernobyl disaster

Anti-nuclear demonstration marks anniversary of Chernobyl disaster http://www.todayszaman.com/national_anti-nuclear-demonstration-marks-anniversary-of-chernobyl-disaster_379011.html  The Sinop Anti-Nuclear Platform (Sinop NKP) held a demonstration on Saturday in Sinop province in order to mark the 29th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant disaster in Ukraine and to raise their voices against the Turkish government’s plans to construct nuclear power plants in Sinop and the Akkuyu district of Mersin province.

Several nongovernmental organizations, local residents of Sinop and members of left-wing parties from all over Turkey were among the demonstration participants. According to the Sözcü newspaper, there was a total about 10,000 protesters.

The protesters said the Chernobyl disaster was a lesson that the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) should keep in mind before resorting to nuclear power plants to address the country’s energy shortage.

On April 26, 1986 an explosion and fire at the Chernobyl plant released a large quantity of highly radioactive fallout into the atmosphere that spread over an extensive area, including large parts of the western Soviet Union and Europe, in one of the worst accidents in history in terms of cost and casualties.

“Developed countries including Germany, Austria and Sweden decided to close down their nuclear plants after this disaster and Germany‘s energy requirements are two-and-a-half times larger than Turkey’s. The US, the country that has the most nuclear power plants, is not building any new ones. When the aforementioned countries are using more and more alternative energy sources like solar and wind power, there is no point for Turkey to venture into contracting to build a nuclear power plant,” said Chamber of Electrical Engineers (EMO) Secretary General Hüseyin Önder.

Following this demonstration, the Anti-Nuclear Platform (NKP) issued a written statement noting that Sinop is known for being the happiest city in Turkey and that a nuclear power plant would damage the city’s landscape and its image of being a peaceful city.

The platform also stressed that the AK party is trying to convince the people of Sinop to support the project by promising that the power plant would provide thousands of job opportunities for residents, but the statement contended that only around 300 people will able to work there and that they will mostly be workers from the outside of the city.

April 27, 2015 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | EUROPE, opposition to nuclear