Chernobyl Association asks for public's help to build memorial

The “Chernobyl” Association needs 10 million lei to complete a memorial complex dedicated to the remembrance of the victims of the Chernobyl disaster. Because the authorities do not have the money, the Association together with the Ministry of Social Protection, Family and Child have decided to ask for the help of ordinary people, Info-Prim Neo reports. The construction began in 2004, but because of the strained circumstances and amid rising prices of construction materials, the work was ceased, Social Protection Minister Galina Balmos told a news conference on Monday, June 30. The site of the future memorial already accommodates a church, built from the money donated by those who suffered the consequences of the disaster, the minister added. According to the chairman of the Chernobyl Association, Tudor Capatana, some 3,550 Moldovan citizens contributed in liquidating the consequences of the blast, and one in six of them is already dead. This speaks of their feeble health. The Ministry and the Chernobyl Association appeal to the community to contribute to the construction of the memorial. Any sum of money will be welcome on the account 22248004983885, bank code MOBBMD 22749, until 26 April 2010. The fundraisers say that while admitting that the sum needed to complete the construction is huge they hope that it could be raised in stages. The memorial dedicated to the Chernobyl victims is located on Trandafirilor Street in Chisinau on an area of 7.5 ares and it is said to become a tourist attraction when the construction is finished.