Andrei Lubenski: Ukraine’s Greens demand to disclose information of nuclear waste transit through the country

Ukraine’s Green Party conducted demonstrations in the city of Izmail. The Ukrainian Greens demand to made public the Ukrainian government’s decision of a transit of nuclear waste from Bulgaria to Russia via the Ukrainian territory. Reportedly, at least one waste-laden train has already passed through Ukraine. The ordinary Ukrainians have learned of the dangerous cargo’s passage from the Russian television programmes. The Greens argue that any information of cargoes believed to be potentially harmful for people’s health and lives must not be concealed from the public. In the course of the demonstrations, the Greens manages to gather 5,000 signatures in support o their demands. A source in the Ukrainian Green Party has told PRAVDA.Ru that demonstrations will be held throughout the train’s route. The controversial cargo is supplied to Ukraine by sea. So, the Greens in the Odessa Black Sea port will be keeping an eye on a special unloading crane to warn the public of the cargo’s arrival. Then, the Greens are planning to picket station via which the train is supposed to go. “We are not go to lay down on the rails, but we are determined to demand from the government the maximum possible openness in the matters that concern all,” the source says. Nobody knows by now to what extent the transit in question is safe, who and how should act in the case of emergency (which may well arise, considering the Ukrainian railroads’ wear). Those issues are sure to be raised by the Greens in the parliament.

Andrei Lubenski PRAVDA.Ru Ukraine

Read the original in Russian: http://www.pravda.ru/main/2001/11/23/34126.html