April 26 was declared a day of commemoration of the victims of the Chernobyl catastrophe following amendments introduced to the Government Decision on nonworking days and holidays, Info-Prim Neo reports. According to Minister of Labor, Social Protection and Family Valentina Buliga, 3,500 Moldovans cleaned up the consequences of the Chernobyl accident and 1,600 children who were born to them afterward are ill. 340 of these persons had died during the last six years. The accident contributed to the death of 550 Moldovans overall “By its December 2003 decision, the UN declared April 26 a day commemorating victims of radiation accidents and catastrophes. As many Moldovans took part in removing the consequences of the Chernobyl accident, we consider it is opportune to institute such a day in Moldova,” Valentina Buliga said. About 2 billion people were affected by radiation as a result of the explosion in Chernobyl. One in five persons of the 150,000 sent to clean up the consequences of the catastrophe died during the last few years.