On Friday, Volodymyr Lytvyn, Chairman of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, attended the first show of the documentary "Women of Chornobyl" (directed by Mykola Burnos) that had been shot on the initiative of Valentyna Shevchenko, Head of the Presidium of the Verkhovna Rada of the USSR (1985-1990) with the assistance of the Congress of Women Business Owners of Ukraine.
"This film is just a beginning of a long-lasting work aimed at commemoration of a woman-mother, a woman-wife who has always taken the heaviest burden," V.Lytvyn stated, speaking at the discussion of the film. "It is impossible to convey the impressions from the film. Sorrow, grief and anxiety overcome all of us, especially those who participated in the events of April, 2006."
He stated that Ukraine and the whole world had been protected owing to the liquidators of the disaster and their family members. V.Lytvyn deems necessary to remember about these people not only during the events dedicated to the anniversary of the disaster.
The Head of the Parliament reminded that there are 2 million 210 thousand of victims of Chornobyl disaster in Ukraine, 256 thousand have the status of liquidators, 482 thousand of children under 18 are considered as victims of Chornobyl disaster, while only one child in five is healthy. The Chairman of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine stressed that legislative base on Chornobyl consists of thousands of normative-legal acts, including 40 Laws.
"It means that we can not have political wars, only work," V.Lytvyn declared.
The Head of the Parliament conferred the Verkhovna Rada awards to the film crew, widows and mothers of the perished liquidators.