It is time to update the state policy on protection of citizens affected by the Chornobyl disaster: Oleksandr Korniienko
21 July 2025, 13:47
First Deputy Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, Oleksandr Korniienko, took part in a meeting of the Temporary Special Commission of the Verkhovna Rada on strengthening social protection for citizens affected by the Chornobyl disaster and the use of radioactively contaminated territories. The meeting was chaired by Arsenii Pushkarenko, Deputy Chair of the Committee on Foreign Policy and Interparliamentary Cooperation.
Oleksandr Korniienko noted that this time the Commission focused on medical support for citizens affected by the Chornobyl nuclear disaster.
He emphasized the importance of the participation of Mykhailo Radutskyi, Chair of the Committee on National Health, Medical Care and Health Insurance, and Minister of Health Viktor Liashko in the discussion. In his remarks, the First Deputy Speaker stressed that the newly appointed government officials will play a key role in addressing the medical and social issues of those affected — the focus of the Temporary Special Commission.
Oleksandr Korniienko also recalled that during his address to Parliament, the President of Ukraine outlined the country’s key priorities, including the human dimension and the improvement of social standards.
«This Commission is intended to help resolve these issues,» Oleksandr Korniienko emphasized, noting that Article 16 of the Constitution of Ukraine explicitly defines the state’s duty to overcome the consequences of the Chornobyl disaster, preserve the gene pool of the Ukrainian people, ensure environmental safety, and maintain ecological balance. He also stressed that the Commission’s work helps identify inefficient spending and abuses that harm the state budget.
The First Deputy Speaker also drew attention to the need to update current policies in the areas of environmental protection, social support, and medical care for those affected, noting that many regulations were established in the 1990s and no longer meet today’s economic, demographic, and security challenges.
He specifically highlighted issues such as inefficient aid delivery, underfunded medical institutions, and land misuse in contaminated areas. In this context, Oleksandr Korniienko called for comprehensive reform of state policy in these sectors.
«As representatives of the state, we have a duty — and we must fulfill it. My goal within the Commission’s work is to initiate an update of state policy. Nearly 40 years have passed since decisions were made that now require rethinking and renewal,» the First Deputy Speaker concluded.
Oleksandr Korniienko thanked all participants of the meeting — including representatives of the Government, oversight bodies, and civil society — for their active engagement.
He also emphasized the importance of constructive cooperation and communication with people on the ground who face these challenges directly, and called for joint efforts to address them.