The date of the closing of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant "remains in force"

The Ukrainian government has adopted two decrees today dealing with the closing of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. Deputy Prime Minister Yulia Timoshenko told reporters after a meeting of the government that the decrees had been issued so as to make the process of closing the power plant organized and to avoid negative social and other consequences. The UNIAN news agency reports that according to the deputy prime minister, the first decree provides for a number of technological measures to be taken so that the closing of the power plant would not influence the country's system of electricity supplies. At the same time Timoshenko underlined that the date of the closing of the nuclear power plant, December 15, "remains in force." She said that the second decree deals with social problems arising from the closing of the power plant. It gives "clear, understandable" social guarantees to people who live near the power plant, and allocates sufficient funds for this purpose. Additionally, Timoshenko pointed out that the decree specifies measures to guarantee payment of wages and pensions to the nuclear power plant's staff.