Italian envoy says Belarusian children may have difficulties going to Italy for recuperation :: Charter'97 :: News

Guglielmo Ardizzone, the Italian ambassador to Belarus, warned on April 25 that Belarusian-Italian recuperation programs for children from the Chernobyl-hit areas might run into difficulties as Belarusian authorities seek to control the flow of children across the border and centralize all recuperation initiatives.

Noting that recuperation programs are absolutely decentralized in Italy with the central government only issuing documents and enforcing child treatment laws, Mr. Ardizzone pointed out that the clash of the two systems might result into problems.

He stressed that Italy takes a flexible approach to cooperation in the area and urged the Belarusian authorities to do the same.

Italian families are willing to continue bringing Belarusian children for holidays, the ambassador said.

He added that effects of the centralization could be seen at the end of summer. Last year, 56,000 Belarusian children traveled to 26 countries under recuperation programs, according to the country’s foreign ministry.