KIEV, November 2 (Itar-Tass) — Ukraine’s organizations that initiated the actions of protest against the lifting of social privileges to the veterans of the campaign to render harmless and eliminate the aftermaths of the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster have taken a decision to call the protests off, since the government has met all of their demands, an activist of the Chernobylsky Spas organization told reporters Wednesday.
“The leaders and members of the public organizations, which steered the actions, have decided to stop them,” said Petro Prokopenko, who was among the group of Chernobyl veterans that conducted negotiations with the government.
He confirmed that the cabinet of ministers had taken account of the Chernobyl veterans’ economic demands.
According to him, the associations had a meeting with Economic Development and Trade Minister Andrei Klyuyev Tuesday and with Social Policies Minister Sergei Tigipko Wednesday.
“Our calls have been heeded,” Prokopenko said. “Appropriate instructions have been issued and now the government is revoking illegitimate documents and instructions to the Pension Fund.”
He indicated that the Pension Fund has been told to stop downgrading the Chernobyl veterans’ pensions in spite of court decisions, he said.
Prokopenko added that, to the best of his knowledge, all the pensions will be paid as previously.
Wednesday morning, about 500 Chernobyl veterans organized a picket in front of the headquarters of the cabinet of ministers. They demanded that their social benefits be left intact.