Ukraine collects some 550mn euros out of 740mn needed for CSF

KYIV, April 19 /UKRINFORM/. The Chernobyl Shelter Fund (CSF) at a donor conference in Kyiv has received substantial financial support.

After the promises of the financial 'heavyweights' - the European Commission and the EBRD - to increase contributions by 110 and 120 million euros, respectively, significant reinforcements are expected from France, Russia, and the United States, who declared their readiness to replenish capital by 123 million dollars.

Great Britain will provide 28.5 million pounds, Germany - 42.4 million euros, Austria - 2.5 million euros, a further 2 million euros will come from Hungary. Even Greece, which is in dire financial position, is ready to transfer to the CSF 100,000 euros.

Financial contributions are also expected from India in the amount of 1 million dollars, the same amounts from Azerbaijan and Turkey, the contributions from Belgium, Lithuania and Estonia.

Ukraine's President Viktor Yanukovych has thanked all countries and international organizations who have agreed to provide funds for the Chornobyl projects.

"It is impossible to overestimate the importance of your support for the efforts of the Ukrainian people, who for 25 years have been working hard to rebuild the affected areas," he emphasized.

According to the head of state, tentatively, the Chornobyl projects have gathered today around 550 million euros.

Yanukovych said that the global scale of the Chornobyl disaster has no national borders. This disaster, like the tragic events in Japan at the Fukushima-1, will remain the events of the planetary significance for a long time.

"We are all aware that the resources needed to overcome the disasters of this magnitude go far beyond economic and technological capacity of any single country. They need, of course, joint efforts of the international community," the president underscored.