Volodymyr Lytvyn, Chairman of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, warns, lest commemoration of the day of Chornobyl disaster "should turn into a day of grand events, when they honour and promise, and then forget for a year." He made this statement in the interview to Rada parliamentary TV channel on Friday.
V.Lytvyn deems necessary to analyze the laws on Chornobyl and draft a single unified act. The Head of the Parliament suggests that the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine should express its view on the topic, as the respective laws "are complicated and outdated." He calls for elucidating the issue on the different areas of control, considering the fact that people are residing there, while the development of infrastructure and investments is forbidden.
V.Lytvyn drew attention to the information of media that one could go on tour to Chornobyl zone for USD 100. "These people found an interesting idea, but it is obviously not the state that started such a business," he admitted. "We should seek the opportunities to use the territories of Chornobyl."
V.Lytvyn calls for reminding the European and international community that liquidation of consequences of Chornobyl disaster is not a problem of Ukraine only, "although it will remain with Ukraine for ever." He reminded of the numerous promises given by the closure of the nuclear station, and the resolutions that fail to be implemented. It concerns construction of a new Ukryttia object over the destroyed bloc, and extraction of 200 tons of radioactive materials from the destroyed reactor. According to V.Lytvyn, extra EUR 740 million is required to finish the construction of a new confinement.
V.Lytvyn expects "to see the donors, countries, and financial institutions that can supply the necessary sum" at the International Conference "25th Anniversary of Chornobyl Disaster. Safety of the Future" in Kyiv in April, 2011.
The Head of the Parliament attaches great importance to the medical care in the polluted regions, where an outburst of oncological diseases is observed. "These people protected the humanity from the terrible disaster at the expense of their health and life," V.Lytvyn stated.