Do We Have Reliable Tool ? Considering the Efficiency of Chornobyl Legislation

Among experts involved in the Chornobyl Disaster issues, one can often come across an opinion that the Chornobyl legislation is not part of the nuclear legislation. Therefore, it should be measured with a different yardstick. The nuclear legislation indeed does not identify Chornobyl-related laws as its part, rather referring to them for any Chornobyl Disaster issues like radiation protection measures, social security, and damage reimbursements. At the same time the makers of Chornobyl laws themselves admit that the issues of affected public social security and the Disaster’s environmental after-effects are inseparable from radiation safety and radiological protection of population issues [1], having a far broader context than just that of Chornobyl. On the year of Chornobyl Disaster 20th anniversary we find it reasonable to look back and see if we have learnt all the lessons taught by Chornobyl. It is an analysis of lessons-learned and recognition of mistakes that can significantly contribute to further progress in the area. The author of this text is convinced that common sense is a tool universal enough to study even such an extraordinary subject as the Chornobyl legislation, and attempts to analyze its efficiency will undoubtedly contribute if not to direct improvement of the situation, then at least to finding right ways to do so.