The tragedy in Chernobyl is not just a matter of physics or science. It is a matter of responsibility, said the Ukrainian Ambassador to Bulgaria, Olesya Ilashchuk, during the international conference “The Radioactive Decay of the Iron Curtain: Rethinking the Chernobyl Disaster in a Comparative Perspective“. The event is dedicated to the 40th anniversary of the Chernobyl accident and is held at the New Bulgarian University (NBU).

This tragedy is our shared memory and a testament to a system that was more afraid of the truth than of the loss of its own citizens. After Chernobyl, the world began to seriously talk about the culture of nuclear safety. And today, this issue is again extremely relevant, added Olesya Ilashchuk.

Europe is investing in new energy - solar, wind, and nuclear. New reactors, small modular reactors, and fusion technologies, this is our common future. And Ukraine is part of that future, she pointed out.

We thought that Chernobyl was a lesson from the past, but in 2022 history returned, and in its most severe form. Years ago, a reactor exploded and shook the world. Today, six reactors are under threat and this is no longer just a risk, said Olesya Ilashchuk. According to her, Chernobyl has taught us the importance of solidarity and safety.

I thank Bulgaria for its solidarity, for its principled position and for its support for Ukraine. Let us not allow the atom to once again become a cruel weapon and not allow this tragedy to be repeated, the Ukrainian Ambassador to Bulgaria also noted.

The event is organized by NBU, the Institute for the Study of the Recent Past “Prof. Ivaylo Znepolski“, the Center for Academic Studies, with the support of the “Konrad Adenauer“ Foundation and the Embassy of Ukraine in Bulgaria.