Belarus President promises funding for better life in Chernobyl-affected areas

KOMARIN, April 25 (BelTA) – Despite the global financial crisis the government will allocate enough funding to enable proper living standards for people in polluted areas, President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko said at the requiem meeting in the town of Komarin on April 25. The meeting was dedicated to the 23rd anniversary of the Chernobyl catastrophe and the 65th anniversary of Belarus’ liberation from the Nazi invaders, BelTA has learnt. The head of state remarked that Belarus has entered a new phase of addressing Chernobyl problems. Transition from rehabilitation to the development of affected territories, keeping all the measures necessary for radiation protection of people in place, is the key trait of the phase, he said. “Without forgetting the Chernobyl tragedy, we have stopped differentiating people as Chernobyl victims and those who are not,” said Alexander Lukashenko. “Starting this year we will begin rapidly restoring radionuclide-polluted territories”. During the present tour around Chernobyl-affected areas the President got familiar with two effectively working, typically local enterprises set up to provide jobs to people. Those are the Loyev factory of construction materials and the timber mill of the Polesie state radioactive and ecological reserve. According to the head of state, the fourth state programme for overcoming consequences of the Chernobyl disaster till 2010 is aimed at resolving Chernobyl problems. The fulfilment of large-scale programmes for the revival of rural areas and development of provinces, small and medium urban communities helps a lot in restoring the Polesie territory. Along with minimising Chernobyl consequences it is important to create normal business conditions and enable proper living standards so that people would have confidence in tomorrow, believes Alexander Lukashenko. In Bragin the number of newborns is larger than the number of those who die. The fact testifies that life in this area is improving, he added. The President mentioned positive changes in the development of the town of Komarin. A gas pipeline almost 60 km long has been built there and social infrastructure objects have been restored. He said he hopes the local authorities will do even more for the town development.

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