On 14 December, the Day of Honouring the Participants in the Chornobyl Accident Cleanup, First Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Oleksandr Korniienko took part in an off-site meeting of the parliamentary Temporary Special Commission, which deals with issues of strengthening social protection for victims of the Chornobyl disaster and the use of radioactively contaminated territories (hereinafter referred to as the TSC).
The event took place at the Special Government Corporation of the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant with the participation of representatives of the legislative and executive branches, regional military administrations, state bodies and institutions, the scientific community, the Ombudsman of Ukraine, as well as public organisations and initiative groups of affected citizens.
«From the first day of the disaster, thousands of people, risking their health, fought without hesitation to deal with the consequences of the terrible accident. The exploits of the liquidators are forever engraved in human history. May the memory of those who died live on,» said the First Deputy Speaker.
During the meeting of the Temporary Special Commission, actions were agreed upon to implement the Verkhovna Rada Resolution on honouring those who participated in the liquidation of the consequences of the Chornobyl accident and on measures related to the 40th anniversary of the Chornobyl disaster. The second part of the meeting was devoted to proposals for the Law «On the Status and Social Protection of Citizens Affected by the Chornobyl Disaster.»
According to Oleksandr Korniienko, the work of the Temporary Special Commission is important precisely because of the openness and constructive position of all parties, in particular the central executive authorities and regional administrations. He stressed that the problems associated with the Chornobyl zone are complex in nature — from the management of the exclusion zone, its future, the activities of state-owned enterprises and the use of territories to issues of health, social protection of liquidators and residents of contaminated territories. A comprehensive approach should create conditions for more effective and equitable financing of the social needs of those affected.
The First Deputy Speaker is convinced that it is the duty of the state to ensure dignified and fair recognition of the liquidators. «We are working on this together with colleagues at various levels, including within this Temporary Special Commission chaired by Member of Parliament Arsenii Pushkarenko,» the First Deputy Speaker noted.
Nuclear safety issues, as well as support for affected people and the territories of the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant, remain relevant and are recognised at the international level. In December this year, the UN General Assembly adopted a Resolution initiated by Ukraine entitled «Strengthening international cooperation and coordination of efforts to study, mitigate and minimise the consequences of the Chornobyl disaster,» which was supported by 97 UN Member States. The document emphasises that the consequences of the Chornobyl accident remain serious and long-term and stresses the need for continued assistance to affected communities and territories.
The Resolution also separately expresses serious concern over damage to the New Safe Confinement over the destroyed power unit of the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant as a result of a russian drone attack on 14 February 2025. The General Assembly calls on states and international partners to intensify cooperation in addressing the consequences of the Chornobyl disaster.
«Much time has passed since the Chornobyl accident, but many questions remain, and they are accumulating. I am grateful to the members of the Commission for their work aimed at resolving them,» summarised the First Deputy Speaker, noting that the TSC's proposals enable the Government and Parliament to make important decisions, and next year the state should commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Chornobyl disaster in a dignified and high-level manner, combining commemorative and humanitarian events with the preparation of real legislative decisions. Relevant ministries, MPs, public organisations of liquidators, as well as international partners should be involved in this work.
Intensified interdepartmental cooperation, the preparation of draft laws and the strengthening of parliamentary international diplomacy are necessary to ensure a systematic approach to resolving Chornobyl issues, so that they are not limited to symbolic measures, but have practical and effective solutions aimed at protecting citizens, the security of territories and the national interests of Ukraine.
Concluding his speech during the TSC meeting, Oleksandr Korniienko drew attention to the need to strengthen coordination between executive bodies due to the lack of a single specialized center responsible for Chornobyl issues, which complicates management and budgetary decisions. He stressed the importance of involving civil society organisations of victims in the work of consultative and advisory bodies under central executive authorities, as well as creating permanent platforms for dialogue with local authorities. Such interaction will not only allow for better consideration of the needs of communities and liquidators, but also for the development of balanced decisions on the management of contaminated territories, the optimisation of expenditures and the allocation of resources to social and medical programmes.