Ecology
 

The Chernobyl Exclusion Zone is a restricted area that was heavily contaminated with long-lived radionuclides as a result of the accident at the Chernobyl NPP. The zone was established in 1986, after the evacuation of the population from the 30-kilometer zone around the station. The area of ​​the territory is 2576.9 km2[1]. In the exclusion zone, as well as in the zone of unconditional (mandatory) resettlement, the activities of local councils have been suspended.

In the 1990s, after measures were taken to eliminate the consequences of the accident at the Chornobyl NPP and the level of radiation in the area of ​​the station and in the surrounding areas was significantly reduced, the Chornobyl exclusion zone became a popular tourist attraction. According to the UN report on the consequences of the Chernobyl disaster in 2002[12], most of the territory of the exclusion zone can remain without special damage.
In 2010, a decision was made to open the Zone to everyone (prior to that, attendance was limited). By order of the Minister of Emergency Situations of Ukraine, Viktor Baloga, radiological studies were conducted, maps of radiation levels were developed, on the basis of which the routes of the Zone for visitors were formed. The results of research showed that on the territory of these routes in a 30-kilometer zone you can stay up to 4-5 days without harm to health, and in a 10-kilometer zone without harm to health you can stay for 1 day. In December 2010, an order of the Ministry of Emergency Situations was issued, which approved new rules for visiting the Zone by citizens of Ukraine, foreign delegations and individual foreigners, as well as radiation safety rules that should be followed when visiting the Zone. In February 2011, the rules were registered by the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine and entered into force in March.
However, in June 2011, tourist access to the Zone was closed again. Starting from June 23, trips to the Zone through tour operators were temporarily suspended by order of the Ukrainian authorities. The Ministry of Emergency Situations commented on this by the fact that the Prosecutor General's Office filed a protest against the order of the Ministry of Emergency Situations, which approved the procedure for visiting the exclusion zone. It was the Ministry of Emergency Situations that decided this order was legal. The court had to make a decision on this issue. In September 2011, the Chernobyl zone was finally closed for tourism. As one of the reasons for the closure of the excursions, officials cited the fact that the money received from tourism was not spent on providing assistance to the affected area. According to the decision of the District Administrative Court of Kyiv, the order of the Ministry of Emergency Situations was declared illegal. The Emergencies Minister refused to sue the prosecutor's office and issued a new order taking into account her wishes. In November, Baloga said that after the registration of the new order, the Zone should be reopened for tourism.
On December 2, 2011, the exclusion zone again became available for visiting for familiarization purposes. According to the new order, visiting rules have been strengthened, and access to the exclusion zone is limited: "For scientists, experts, journalists, international control and monitoring, the Zone will continue to be accessible. It's just that the schedule of visits has become more demanding" (V. Baloga).

In 2019, the State Agency of Ukraine for Exclusion Zone Management and the public union signed a Memorandum of Cooperation[13]. Cooperation will be aimed at revitalizing the affected areas, supporting nature protection activities and creating conditions for the possibility of safely visiting the exclusion zone. To date, visiting routes have been updated in the Chernobyl zone, electronic tickets, individual dosimetric control and a GPS monitoring system for the movement of groups have been introduced, and the work mechanisms of tourist operators in the exclusion zone are being improved. The main focus is on the safety of visitors and their compliance with radiation safety rules.
In this regard, a control and access regime is in effect on the territory of the Zone. Checkpoints are installed at all entrances, allowing people to enter the zone only with passes. Independent movement in the zone is prohibited. Visitors are accompanied by guides who also act as translators for foreigners. Photography and video recording on the territory of the zone is allowed, but limited. The requirements of the radiation safety rules also regulate wearing only closed clothes that cover the entire body and impose a number of restrictions on freedom of action:
it is undesirable to eat and smoke outdoors;
it is undesirable to touch buildings and plants;
it is undesirable to sit down and put objects on the ground;
it is undesirable to drink water from ground sources on the territory of the zone;
it is strictly forbidden to take any objects outside the zone.

The program for visiting the zone, indicating the objects to be visited and the route of movement, is agreed and approved in advance, deviations from them are inadmissible. When leaving the zone, dosimetric control of visitors is carried out. Personal belongings, shoes and clothes that have not passed the control are subject to decontamination, and if this is not possible (due to the high level of contamination), then removal. Visiting the exclusion zone of the Chernobyl NPP is associated with a health risk, therefore the visitor bears personal responsibility for preserving his health.
The most popular locations to visit are the cities of Pripyat and Chornobyl, the Chernobyl nuclear power plant itself, the Over-the-Horizon station "Duga" (the "Chernobyl-2" facility), the Red Forest. Tour operators conduct one-day, two-day excursions, group and individual[14]. Individual visits are in demand among professional photographers, correspondents, and TV presenters. There is also an opportunity to go on an air tour and see the Zone from a bird's eye view, including the nature of the Chernobyl reserve - wild boars, deer, moose and Przewalski's horses, the population of which in the exclusion zone is one of the largest in the world.
Development prospects[ed. | ed. code]
On December 11, 2020, the website of the State Agency for the Management of the Exclusion Zone (DAZV) published a Notice on the publication of the Strategy for the Development of the Exclusion Zone for 2021-2030. The draft strategy contains section 5.9. Development of transport infrastructure. Which is entirely devoted to the topic of the construction of the E40 Waterway through the exclusion zone]. After critical statements by public organizations, the management of DAZV promised to exclude this section from the strategy. Also, in 2020, dredging of the Pripyat River was carried out within the exclusion zone[17].
Ukrainian creative agency Banda Agency developed the "timeless" logo of the Zone. Changing over time, it is designed to enhance communication and change the visual perception of the Zone.

 

The issue of determining the status of victims of the Chernobyl disaster is regulated by the Law of Ukraine "On the Status and Social Protection of Citizens Victims of the Chernobyl Disaster" (hereinafter - the Law) and Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine dated January 20, 1997 No. 51 "On Approval of the Procedure for Issuing Identity Cards to Persons , who suffered as a result of the Chernobyl disaster" (hereinafter referred to as the Order).

 According to the Law, victims of the Chernobyl disaster include:

participants in the liquidation of the consequences of the accident at the Chornobyl NPP (category 1, 2, 3) - citizens who took a direct part in the liquidation of the accident and its consequences in the exclusion zone;

victims of the Chernobyl disaster (category 1, 2, 3) – citizens who were exposed to radioactive radiation as a result of the Chernobyl disaster;

children affected by the Chernobyl disaster.

The basis for determining the status of a participant in the liquidation of the consequences of the accident at the Chernobyl NPP is the period of work (service) in the exclusion zone, which is confirmed by relevant documents.

According to the Procedure, certificates are issued to participants in the liquidation of the consequences of the accident at the Chernobyl NPP on the basis of one of the following documents:

- certificate of business trip to the exclusion zone;

- a military ticket and a certificate of the commander of a military unit or an archive about participation in the liquidation of the consequences of an accident in the exclusion zone;

- certificates of increased wages in the exclusion zone (indicating the number of days and the settlement).

The basis for determining the status of victims of the Chernobyl disaster is a certificate of evacuation, resettlement, independent resettlement or a period of residence, study or work in contaminated territories.

For the establishment of benefits and compensations provided for by the Law, in addition to the above-mentioned persons, there are also:

wives (husbands), guardians of children of deceased citizens, whose death is connected with the Chernobyl disaster;

citizens who participated in the liquidation of other nuclear accidents.

 

The main principles on which the state policy in the field of social protection of victims of the Chernobyl disaster and creation of living and working conditions in the contaminated territories are based are:

• the priority of the lives and health of people who suffered from the Chernobyl disaster, the full responsibility of the state for creating safe and harmless working conditions;

• comprehensive solution of tasks of health care, social policy and use of contaminated territories on the basis of state target programs on these issues and taking into account other areas of economic and social policy, achievements in the field of science and environmental protection;

• social protection of people, full compensation for damage to persons who suffered as a result of the Chernobyl disaster;

• the use of economic methods to improve life by implementing a policy of preferential taxation for citizens who suffered as a result of the Chernobyl disaster and their associations;

• implementation of measures for professional reorientation and improvement of qualifications of the affected population;

• ensuring the coordination of the activities of state bodies, institutions, organizations and associations of citizens solving various problems of social protection of the affected population, as well as cooperation and consultations between state bodies and the victims (their representatives), between all social groups during decision-making with social protection at the local and state levels;

• international cooperation in the fields of health care, social protection, labor protection, use of world experience in organizing work on these issues.

LEGAL BASIS

​

https://www.ukrinform.ua/tag-cornobilska-zona

https://lb.ua/tag/10158_zaes

CONSTITUTION OF UKRAINE

https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/254%D0%BA/96-%D0%B2%D1%80#Text

• Law of Ukraine "On the status and social protection of citizens affected by the Chernobyl disaster"

• Law of Ukraine "On State Social Assistance to Persons with Disabilities from Childhood and Children with Disabilities"

• Law of Ukraine "On Amendments to Certain Legislative Acts of Ukraine Regarding Pension Increase"

• Law of Ukraine "On mandatory state pension insurance"

• Decree of the President of Ukraine dated July 5, 2018 No. 196 "On additional measures for the revival of territories exposed to radioactive contamination as a result of the Chernobyl disaster, social protection of victims, safe handling of radioactive waste"

• Decree of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine dated November 23, 2011 No. 1210 "On increasing the level of social protection of citizens affected by the Chernobyl disaster"

• Decree of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine dated November 23, 2016 No. 854 "Some issues of sanatorium-resort treatment and recreation of citizens affected by the Chernobyl disaster"

• Decree of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine dated October 26, 2016 No. 760 "On approval of the Procedure for the payment of one-time compensation for damage caused as a result of the Chernobyl disaster, other nuclear accidents, nuclear tests, military exercises using nuclear weapons, and annual assistance for the recovery of certain categories of citizens"

• Decree of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine dated November 8, 2017 No. 838 "On the size of the average value of a travel ticket for the payment of monetary compensation instead of a travel ticket to citizens who suffered as a result of the Chernobyl disaster"

• Decree of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine dated July 11, 2018 No. 551 "Some issues of issuing certificates to persons affected by the Chernobyl disaster and other categories of citizens"

• Decision of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine dated July 17, 2018 No. 6-r/2018