Chernobyl veterans set to appeal to world community if bill abolishing benefits for them is enacted :: Charter'97 :: News

Belarus` veterans of the desperate efforts to contain the Chernobyl nuclear disaster plan to appeal to the world community if a bill abolishing benefits for this category of the population is enacted.

As Alyaksandr Valchanin, a social worker who spearheads the effort to found an association of Chernobyl veterans, said in an interview with BelaPAN, on April 11, he met with Vital Kulik, chairman of the lower parliamentary house`s standing Committee on Chernobyl Problems, Environment and Nature Management.

Mr. Valchanin learned at the meeting that a bill had been drafted, which would abolish all benefits for former Chernobyl cleanup workers ("liquidators"), including free treatment at health resorts, free medicines, two extra weeks of paid vacation, and a lower retirement age (55 years).

"If this bill is enacted, people who combated the aftermath of the Chernobyl explosion in 1986 and 1987 will be completely deprived of benefits," said Mr. Valchanin. On behalf of 30 Chernobyl veterans, he proposed to Mr. Kulik that a parliamentary hearing should be held on this bill with the participation of liquidators.

"If our opinion is not heard, we reserve the right to appeal to the state secretary of the Belarusian-Russian Union State, Pavel Borodin, and to international organizations," Mr. Valchanin stressed.