Henadz Hrushavy: “Lukashenka and Berlusconi to hide behind Chernobyl topic”

The head of the Belarusian Charitable Fund for the Children of Chernobyl Henadz Hrushavy does not do not rule out the possibility that the meeting of Belarus and Italy presidents could be held under a cover of charity.

Italy is one of the strategic partners of Belarus in the problem of recuperation of Belarusian children from territories contaminated by radiation, Radio Svaboda informs. According to official statistics, out of 40,000 children who go abroad for recuperation annually, half is received by Italian families.

Henadz Hryshavy, the head of the Belarusian Charitable Fund for the Children of Chernobyl, recalls that almost 20 years ago children from Belarus visited the Apennine peninsula in the orderly manner for the first time.

“For the first time I took children there in the end of 1990ies, it was Christmas. It was the first group ever that visited Italy…” Henadz Hrushavy said.

The head of the children’s fund does not rule out the possibility that the topic of recuperation of Belarusian children would be touched upon in this or that way at the meeting of Belarus and Italy’s presidents.

“Moreover, I think that it would be one of the first topics,” Hrushavy said. “They need to demonstrate that the meeting is not related solely to egoistic motives, and is based on humanitarian, charitable ties between our countries. I think that it would be underlined by the both leaders”.

Henadz Hrushavy notes that in reality the leaders of Belarus and Italy have done nothing to improve the situation with recuperation of children influenced by Chernobyl catastrophe.

“In reality nothing has been contributed to develop such humanitarian ties,” the head of the charity said. “None of the leaders has done anything in this sphere. It should be noted that the both use this issue (as it looks very decorously in the eyes of the society: the two countries and two persons united by the common humanitarian deed), but in reality from the very beginning and till now it is exclusively a merit of civil initiatives. Families alone and without any support have been working for charitable causes for almost 20 years.

We cannot expect any assistance. And today exclusively populism is to take place, addressed to mass media, to support of own image, and in reality none of them has done anything at this level, to support and to make is develop wider. It wasn’t taking place before, and it is not taking place now. There would be a self-advertising, a desire to take refuge behind a so to say. They say it is uniting them, tat they are wonderful people, that there are humanitarian foundations. And then they are to discuss totally other issues”.