40 years from the Chornobyl disaster, the European Parliament remembered the victims, affected communities, and generations still living with its consequences.
Dear Colleagues, This past Sunday marked forty years since the Chornobyl disaster. It was the worst nuclear accident in history, made catastrophically worse by a system that could not bring itself to tell the truth. Millions paid the price, losing their health, their homes, and in many cases their lives. No country was left untouched. Crops were contaminated, food supplies were restricted, and communities were gripped by fear. The shockwaves from Chornobyl - environmental, political, human - have rippled across countries and generations, and are still felt to this day. This disaster is a reminder that we are more connected than we sometimes choose to believe. We owe it to the victims of Chornobyl, and to those who come after us, to ensure that this never happens again. To the communities that lost everything, and to the generations that are still living with the consequences, our message is that Europe remembers, and that Europe stands with you.