The government decided to transfer the powers to formulate policy in the field of exclusion zone management, Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant (ChNPP), and radioactive waste to the Ministry of Energy. Previously, these functions were performed by the Ministry of Environmental Protection, which was liquidated at the beginning of the week. This was reported by Taras Melnychuk, a representative of the Cabinet of Ministers in the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, as conveyed by UNN.
Details
"A decision has been made to assign to the Ministry of Energy the functions of ensuring the formation of state policy in the field of managing the exclusion zone and the zone of unconditional (mandatory) resettlement, overcoming the consequences of the Chornobyl disaster, decommissioning the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant and transforming the 'Shelter' object into an environmentally safe system, as well as exercising state management in the field of radioactive waste management at the stage of their long-term storage and disposal," Melnychuk reported.
Addition
It should be noted that previously, this issue was handled by the State Agency of Ukraine for Exclusion Zone Management (SAEZM) through the Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources.
According to the SAEZM regulations, one of the agency's main tasks is: "to submit proposals for consideration by the Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources regarding the formation of state policy in the field of managing the exclusion zone and the zone of unconditional (mandatory) resettlement, overcoming the consequences of the Chornobyl disaster, decommissioning the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant and transforming the 'Shelter' object into an environmentally safe system, and managing radioactive waste."
However, on July 21, the Cabinet of Ministers liquidated the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food and the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources. The functions of the liquidated ministries will be performed by the Ministry of Economy, Environment, and Agriculture of Ukraine.