> I guess under Soviet regime Lithuanians and Latvians didn’t have any say in the matter where the nuclear power plant must be built (or be built at all).

Why didn't they shut off the plant then right after the Iron Curtain fell? In fact, they actually opposed the closure of that very plant.

I guess after that regime fell, Lithuanians had much say in whether to continue operating that plant, and between 1990 and 2009 their say was "aye".

I guess you must have a secret plan none of us are aware of on how to transition the entire country off nuclear power and diversify its energy sources overnight.

> Lithuania imports 70% of its power from Belarus, and the average price of electricity is among the highest in EU.

From: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ignalina_Nuclear_Power_Plant#S...

"Overnight" is a straw man. If Lithuania was extremely worried about not polluting Latvia capital's river, it wouldn't take them 19 years.

Oh and polluting rivers being the only factor in this matter is not strawman? Changing entire country’s energy infrastructure takes decades, let alone absorbing that economically. Especially when you’re a newly formed country that at the same time needs to change every other aspect of itself to move from socialist to capitalist economy, society and infrastructure serving them.

Given the circumstances, I’d call 19 years a great success in this case.