Г-н Иванов, май няма да ви платят този месец: Sweden OKs Phase-Out of Nuclear Energy STOCKHOLM(Reuter) - Sweden's parliament has approved a decision to phase out nuclear power starting in 1998 despite protests from the country's business sector and trade unions, a parliamentary spokeswoman said Wednesday. Parliament voted overwhelmingly in favor of allocating the funds to begin the phase-out. Under the proposal, the first closure of one of Sweden's 12 nuclear reactors will take place in July 1998, two months ahead of the country's next general election. The decision to close Sweden's 12 nuclear plants was taken earlier this year -- 17 years after a referendum in which Swedes voted to phase out nuclear energy by the year 2010. It was seen as a political move by the ruling but minority Social Democrats to forge a closer alliance with the green-minded Center Party, whose votes it needs to control parliament. The Left Party also supported the move. Support for the Social Democrats and Prime Minister Goran Persson has fallen over the past year to its lowest since April 1991. But rather than bolster support for the Social Democrats, the proposed phase-out and loss of jobs triggered an angry reaction from Sweden's business sector, trade unions and even within the ranks of Social Democratic supporters. Industry leaders were incensed by the decision to accelerate the phase-out of nuclear power, eliminating a cheap and reliable source of energy without explaining how it will ensure competitively priced long-term energy supplies. Sweden relies on nuclear power for about half of its electricity. The remainder comes mainly from hydropower. Under current proposals, the first of two reactors at Barseback on Sweden's west coast, in sight of Copenhagen, will close in July 1998. The second reactor at Barseback, owned by private company Sydkraft, will be closed in July 2001. The Barseback reactors are the oldest in Sweden. No timetable has been drawn up for the closure of the other reactors and it seems unlikely the phase-out could be completed by 2010