OREANDA-NEWS. April 25, 2011. Italian investors are keen to create small businesses to manufacture and process agricultural products in the regions affected by the Chernobyl disaster, deputy chairman of the House of Representatives’ Permanent Commission for Education, Culture, Science and Technical Progress Alexander Shatko said. He was among participants of the roundtable conference, 25 Years after Chernobyl, Development Prospects of Belarusian Towns, in Khoiniki.

The first project of such kind will be a Mozzarella cheese-manufacturing company in the village of Vyshemir in Rechitsa District.

There are also options to produce hard cheeses. Alexander Shatko said that a group of Italian experts is set to pay a visit to Gomel Oblast. The delegation will include agronomic specialists, who will assess the situation and give the relevant recommendations to implement the projects.

Alexander Shatko added that Bulgarian experts are also planning to grow colza in the affected areas.

He specified that various international organizations will be involved in the creation of new jobs in the affected areas. Belarus is discussing a number of projects with Germany, Great Britain, and Italy. Belarus is represented at the talks by an international charity fund, Help for Chernobyl Children.

Alexander Shatko is confident that the further mitigation of Chernobyl aftermath depends on the increase in the quality of life. Both local authorities and MPs should work on this task, he said.