Visaginas

Visaginas ( listen / i;? Russian Висагинас ) is a city in northeastern Lithuania and forms a separate municipality in the district of Utena. It was built in 1975 in connection with the construction of the nuclear power plant Ignalina, initially by Antanas Snieckus, the former chairman of the Lithuanian Communist Party, named. In 1977 she received city rights. After the restoration of state independence of Lithuania, the city was renamed Visaginas.

Population

Visaginas is one of the most important centers of the Russian-speaking minorities in Lithuania. Ethnic Russians established there in 2005 about 55 percent of the population ( the gesamtlitauische average, only 6 percent Russian minority ), and White Russians (10% share of the population in Visaginas ) and Ukrainians ( 6% ) are also over-represented in the city. Ethnic Lithuanians form in Visaginas with about 16 %, only a minority.

As the nuclear power plant, the construction of the city remained unfinished after the present plans. Since the closure of the power plant ( to be replaced by the proposed nuclear power plant in Visaginas ) in 2009 is the job situation in the region is very critical. The city is regarded as a social problem case in regard to the consumption of drugs.

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