Moldovan parliament speaker says Chernobyl explosion stays one of most painful episodes of 20th century

The explosion at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant on April 26, 1986 stays one of the most painful episodes of the last century. Parliament Speaker Igor Grosu today conveyed a message to this effect, on the occasion of marking 39 years since the Chernobyl nuclear disaster.

According to the official, the disaster affected millions of lives and its echo still resonates across generations.

‘’Moldova did not remain indifferent. Over 3,500 Moldovans were mobilized to participate in the aftermath of the disaster. Many of them paid with their health or even their lives. It is our duty to keep their memory alive and make sure that such tragedies of this magnitude never happen again,’’ said Igor Grosu.

Today, we mark 39 years since reactor four of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant exploded, affecting the whole of Europe. During the fire, which consumed the reactor for ten days, huge quantities of radioactive substances were released into the atmosphere.

According to a study, almost one million people from various parts of the globe died because of the radioactive contamination following the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant accident. The most affected countries, besides those of the former USSR, were Norway, Sweden, Finland, Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, Austria, Romania, Greece, and extensive parts of Germany and the United Kingdom.

Over 3,500 Moldovans participated in mitigating the consequences of the disaster, 1,865 of whom survived. Internationally, every third participant in the Chernobyl disaster cleanup has passed away.