Experts will develop recommendations to overcome the consequences of the accident at CNPP and improve the nuclear security of the Union State

The session of the seminar is being held at the initiative of the Commission of the Parliamentary Assembly on Natural Resources, Ecology and Environmental Protection, which was also the organizer of this event. The chairman of the commission, Zhanna Chernyawska and member of the commission, Yuri Narkevich, are taking part in the seminar.

The following experts have been invited to the meeting: Permanent Committee of the Union State, the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Republic of Belarus, the Ministry of Energy of the Republic of Belarus, the Ministry of Forestry of the Republic of Belarus, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Ecology of the Russian Federation, as well as research institutes specializing in problems of overcoming the consequences of the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power station.

At the opening of the seminar, parliamentarians emphasized that the theme of the 40th anniversary of the Chernobyl tragedy remained highly topical because of its multidirectional effects, which continue to affect human health, the environment, energy policy, and, consequently, the economy and society as a whole. History’s greatest man-made disaster requires in-depth study to draw lessons for improving the safety of modern technologies, understand the long-term effects of radiation exposure, and developing effective recovery strategies for the damaged areas.

This is precisely why the Union State cannot remain on the sidelines: the 1986 disaster directly affected both Belarus and Russia, and its consequences remain relevant to this day. Since 1998, the Union State has implemented five Chernobyl programs, each lasting four years and with a total funding of 2 billion 130 million Russian rubles.

Parliamentary Assembly committees actively participated in the development and implementation of these programs, enabling thousands of citizens of both countries affected by radiation to receive and continue to receive high-tech medical care in specialized centers funded by the Union budget. This year, two Union initiatives continue to be implemented: one to provide comprehensive medical care to certain categories of citizens and one to organize treatment and rehabilitation for children from the most severely affected areas, with a total funding of over 160 million rubles.

During the seminar, participants will present reports and share their opinions on the further medical and social rehabilitation of affected areas, the implementation of modern agricultural technologies to return land to economic use, the creation of a unified digital radiation monitoring platform, and the harmonization of legal regulations in the field of nuclear legacy site management and nuclear energy.

In addition to plenary sessions, the seminar program includes a practical part to share experiences directly in the affected areas. Participants will meet with representatives of the Khoyniki District Executive Committee and lay flowers at the "Monument of Sorrow" memorial dedicated to the Chernobyl tragedy. They will then continue their work at the Polesie State Radiation and Ecological Reserve. A flower-laying ceremony is also planned at the monument to the liberator soldiers in the resettled village of Babchin.

Based on the results of this work, a document will be prepared containing practical recommendations aimed at accelerating the rehabilitation of affected areas and improving nuclear and radiation safety in the Union State.

The permanent seminar at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Union of Belarus and Russia on the construction of the Union State was established at the initiative of Union parliamentarians and began its work in 2006. Traditionally, the seminar brings together representatives of academic circles and advocates for the integration of Belarus and Russia. The format of the event provides an opportunity to thoroughly examine current issues of cooperation between Belarus and Russia within the Union State. The high professional level of the seminar participants makes it possible to formulte solutions for the further development of Belarusian-Russian relations.