Chernobyl-affected persons to benefit from additional facilities

A new draft Law on the social protection of the persons affected by the Chernobyl disaster will be examined as fast as possible in Parliament, Speaker Marina Lupu said on Wednesday, July 18 during a visit at the Rehabilitation and Social Integration Centre of Chernobyl-affected Children (CRIS Centre). The Speaker said that the document, due to take effect on 1 January 2008, stipulates additional MDL 30 mln for the social protection of the persons affected by the nuclear disaster. Lupu said that the organisation accommodated by an old kindergarten has unacceptable conditions and stated that the Parliament will try to persuade the business community to find mechanisms to support the refurbishment of this building. The aforementioned draft Law aims at offering the right to monthly money compensation to the persons who participated in the liquidation of the accident’s consequences so that they could purchase the needed medication. The drugs eliminating the dangerous substances are estimated at about MDL 850 per month. In order to implement the provisions of the draft Law there are required supplementary funds from the State Budget totalling MDL 2.3 mln per month or MDL 28.05 mln yearly.