BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

26/04/2009

Visits by Chernobyl children resume

The Dutch Foreign Affairs Ministry has announced that it has reached agreement with the Belarussian authorities on the continuation of the free visits to the Netherlands of children suffering health problems from the Chernobyl nuclear disaster 23 years ago today. The first group will arrive in the Netherlands next week, in time to celebrate Queen's Day on 30 April.

In October, Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko ruled that only children with cancer would be allowed to leave the country. The Belarus authorities reportedly feared the children would apply for asylum.

Three private organisations fund trips for children from the Chernobyl region; over the years thousands of children have visited host families in the Netherlands.

Source:

http://www.radionetherlands.nl/news/zijlijn/6274792/Visits-by-Chernobyl-children-resume

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