The team provided a number of recommendations for improvements to long-term operational safety. The Armenian plant management said it was committed to implementing the recommendations and requested that the IAEA schedule a follow-up mission in approximately 18 months.

This raises key issue: more than $200M dollars has been spent on the nuclear safety of the Metsamor NPP since 1993. $300M will be spent to extend the exploitation of the NPP. The Russian government will provide Yerevan with $270M credit and $30M grant until 2019.

Note, all these measures are considered to extend the operation of the NPP for years- until 2026. It means that the $500M was allocated to provide the safety of the Metsamor NPP between 1993 and 2026. Half a million dollars every 33 years! This is more than $15M on average.

But what did happen with that large amount of money?

Interestingly, the meeting of the Security Council was held under the leadership of the Armenian president, Serzh Sargsyan a day after the report of IAEA. Armenian Minister of Energy Infrastructures and Natural Resources, Ashot Manukyan presented the `Concept for the safe management of the radioactive waste and used nuclear fuel`. The concept is about the relevant use of nuclear waste in compliance with the standards set by IAEA.



Although $200M has been spent until now, the relevant management of nuclear waste does not exist in Armenia. These dangerous materials are exported illegaly and used to create `dirty bomb`. Yet, the use of these materials by terrorist groups is not exception. In spite of the US sanctions against Iran in 2002, Armenian companies had sold nuclear technology and materials to Iran. Even the US ban could not prevent the export of the nuclear materials from Metsamor. Metsamor becomes `black market` of the radioactive products. So, the term of safety is beside the point.

The Sargsyan regime wants to guarantee himself by raising the very question in the meeting of the Armenian Security Council. The point is that the great part of the allocated money – $200M has been embezzled by the Armenian officials and there is no guarantee if the next $300M will face with the same fate.

It will be practically impossible to ensure the safety of the Plant as long as Armenia ruled by the current corrupt government. Sargsyan and his close surroundings will continue to embezzle the money allocated to ensure the safety of the plant and the Armenian people will pay the price of the corruption. Metsamor will still remain as a main threat for the region as well as for the world.

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