Chernobyl tragedy's 25th anniversary marked in Azerbaijan

The 25th anniversary of the Chernobyl tragedy was marked in Azerbaijan yesterday.

The event at the building of the Confederation of Trade Unions of Azerbaijan were attended by Mirhasan Hasanov, Chairman of the Union of Chernobyl Invalids, Tahir Suleymanov, Deputy Chief of the Department on Social and Political Issues of the Azerbaijani Presidential Administration, Natig Mammadov, a representative of the Labor and Social Protection Ministry, and Chernobyl invalids.

Mirhasan Hasanov, Chairman of the Union of Chernobyl Invalids, made an opening remarks at the event. More than 7,000 people from Azerbaijan partook in the elimination of the aftermath of the April 26, 1986 accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, he said. No information on the accident had been reported to public prior to 1990, he noted. This secrecy resulted in great problems.

"Attitude to the Chernobyl invalids was different in the early 1990s. No important decisions were made until corresponding legal acts and the status of Chernobyl invalids were adopted. The Law on the status of Chernobyl invalids was passed in Azerbaijan after the nationwide leader returned to power in 1993. In later years, there were also done important works over the improvement of social protection of Chernobyl invalids. The issue of one-time financial assistance to every Chernobyl invalid in Azerbaijan, in accordance with the April 22 order of the President of Azerbaijan, deserves approval," he said.

As far as the reasons of the accident were concealed from the community at the time, people remained unaware of the degree of its danger and hence, the consequences of the disaster only became greater, Deputy Chief of the Public and Political Department of the President’s Office Tahir Suleymanov told the event.

"After the Chernobyl accident, Heydar Aliyev was the only person who demanded from the Political Bureau of the Communist Party to inform the community of the tragedy in details. As a result of anti-popular policy of the Soviet Government, the disaster was concealed from the public and hence, led to more negative consequences," Suleymanov said.

What followed next has illustrated that no one is insured against such disasters, he said.

"A similar accident happened even in a highly developed country such as Japan. Today, neighboring Azerbaijan is Armenia-based Metsamor nuclear power plant, which is operational and represents a source of potential threat. Azerbaijani public organizations, including the Union of Chernobyl Invalids should submit appeals to international organizations to halt the operation of this plant," he said.

In turn, Natig Mammadov, a representative of the Labor and Social Protection Ministry, reported that the social protection of the Chernobyl invalids in Azerbaijan is strengthening and that living houses are being built for the Chernobyl invalids and close relatives to the deceased Chernobyl invalids in Azerbaijan. In addition, the Chernobyl invalids in Azerbaijan are given cars free-of-charge, Mammadov said.

Speakers at the event told about works, which have been carried out in Azerbaijan for the improvement of the living standards of the Chernobyl invalids. In their speeches, the invalids expressed their gratitude to the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev for his permanent attention and care about the invalids.


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