At the Ministry of Emergencies and Protection of Population from the Consequences of Chornobyl Catastrophe the Deputy Minister Volodymyr Holosha, representative of the European Commission Dirk Schübel and members of Rivne regional state administration presented a project of social-economic development of contaminated in the result of Chornobyl catastrophe countryside of the Rivne region. The project aims support of industry of pure foodstuffs and lowering of unemployment level as well as reinforcement of commercial and technical bases of small and average businesses in the contaminated regions through attracting of investments and development of private sector. The planned measures contain creating in Volodymyretsky area of the Rivne region pilot economies for growing fruits ad berries, providing them with planting stock and necessary specialized agricultural equipment as well as modernization of processing plants. Realization of the project financed by the European Commission will last from January of 2009 till July of 2010 at the sum of around EUR 500000, with a possibility to apply the experience to the other territories in the aftermath.
The Rivne region appears one of the most contaminated territories as a result of the Chornobyl catastrophe. In 1986 about 56% of the territory was hit with radiation. Nowadays the zones of radiation pollution include 339 localities in 6 regions with population of around 406 thousand people.
MES possesses successful experience of cooperation with international organizations in social-economic revival and rehabilitation of the polluted territories. A series of joint projects has been realized jointly with the European Commission, UNDP, IAEA. A significant contribution into solving of a complex of Chornobyl-related issues has become organization of combined international researches and projects between the European Commission and the Government of Ukraine. In 2008 MES has submitted for considering by the Eurocommission three projects to be implemented in the Rivne region: creating of telecommunication and perinatal medical centres (around EUR 300000 each) as well as the project presented today.
