The ministry announced the additional conditions to the Russian firm in its response to Atomstroyexport's environmental impact assessment (EIA) report. One of the additional conditions placed by the ministry asks the firm to persuade the residents of Akkuyu and be sensible to their objections regarding the nuclear plant. Other conditions demanded detailed information about the handling of nuclear waste.
The deputy undersecretary for the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, Sedat Kadıoğlu, evaluated the matter and said, "Turkey is the only member country of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) that doesn't have a nuclear plant and so we have to explain the details of nuclear power to the public in order to prevent information pollution."
Kadıoglu stresses the Ministry's sensitivity towards informing the public and talked about the preparations for the first nuclear plant in the country. He stated that the project began by including NGOs, the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TÜBİTAK), public institutions, universities and Turkish citizens in forming a commission to prepare the EIA report.
Kadıoglu noted citizens' concerns regarding the use of nuclear power and said the government hopes to get rid of all question marks, and the priority will be informing people on the use of nuclear power. He emphasized that the ministry asked the Russian firm to establish a department to effectively communicate with the public and answer questions. Kadıoğlu explained that the duty of this unit will be to inform the commission and the local residents about nuclear power, its use around the world, as well as the potential benefits and harms. He added, "The unit will inform people by holding informational sessions, seminars, simulation shows and publishing brochures."
Kadıoglu mentioned that the nuclear plant will not contribute to pollution and global warming due to absence of carbon emissions, but noted the riskiest part will be the nuclear waste. The ministry is asking the firm to take part in studies that will compare the damage to the environment that could be done by a nuclear power plant to the damage that could be done by a thermal power plant with a 4800 megawatt capacity.