Hunger-strikes are becoming an increasingly more frequent tool of struggling with the authorities - in Kalinkovichy Vasili Siliverst, a man who took part in the effort to eliminate the aftermath of the Chernobyl disaster, went on a hunger-strike

On 16 December in Kalinkovichy District Court the Chernobyl eliminator Vasil Siliverst, who has a second degree disability, declared a hunger-strike because the court left his application without consideration.
“Because Kalinkovichy court had been considering my case for the fourth month already and there had been no headway – I was forced to declare a hunger-strike. Judge Sarnauskaia said to me - go ahead!" -- Mr. Siliverst commented on his decision in an interview with Radio Liberty.

During the hearings in court Vasil Siliverst attempted to have the authorities recognize the link between his diseases and disability as caused by his taking part in the elimination of the Chernobyl disaster. He had to file applications with court. The earlier appeals sent to the Ministry of Health, the Republican Inter-Departmental Expert Council and other agencies did not yield any positive results.
Judge Sviatlana Sarnauskaia, who heard the case, said that the refusal of the expert council to connect the disability with the participation in the elimination of the Chernobyl disaster aftermath should be considered in the District Court of Minsk, where the Republican inter-departmental expert council is located.
This year Vasil Siliverst already was on a hunger-strike for 25 days. The first deputy of the Minister of Health Viktar Kalbanau said in a letter that the repeated consideration of his medical case by the Republican expert council will occur after the thyroid glands and other affected organs have been additionally examined. The Chernobyl eliminator pulled out of the hunger strike after he was sent to a sanatorium.
Three weeks ago Mr. Siliverst went to Kalinkovichy for a meeting with Vice-Premier Uladzimier Siamashka. He even asked for himself to be sent to Kiev for independent examination. However, even after his meeting with the Vice Premier Mr. Siliverst received a refusal from the Ministry of Health, which said that his disability was not related to his army service and work in Chernobyl.
In court he attempted to have the authorities recognize the link between his diseases and disability as caused by his taking part in the elimination of the Chernobyl disaster. He had to file applications with court. The earlier appeals sent to the Ministry of Health, the Republican Inter-Departmental Expert Council and other agencies did not yield any positive results.
However, the court also left the complaint filed by Siliverst without consideration. Vasil Siliverst says: “Because Kalinkovichy court had been considering my case for the fourth month already and there had been no headway – I was forced to declare a hunger-strike. Judge Sarnauskaia said to me - go ahead!"
Judge Sviatlana Sarnauskaia, who heard the case, said that the refusal of the expert council to connect the disability with the participation in the elimination of the Chernobyl disaster aftermath should be considered in the District Court of Minsk, where the Republican inter-departmental expert council is located.
This year Vasil Siliverst already was on a hunger-strike for 25 days. The first deputy of the Minister of Health Viktar Kalbanau said in a letter that the repeated consideration of his medical case by the Republican expert council will occur after the thyroid glands and other affected organs have been additionally examined. The Chernobyl eliminator pulled out of the hunger strike after he was sent to a sanatorium.
Three weeks ago Mr. Siliverst went to Kalinkovichy for a meeting with Vice-Premier Uladzimier Siamashka. He even asked for himself to be sent to Kiev for independent examination. However, even after his meeting with the Vice Premier Mr. Siliverst received a refusal from the Ministry of Health, which said that his disability was not related to his army service and work in Chernobyl.