Ukraine court bans tourism in Chernobyl nuclear zone

The District Administrative Court of Kiev has banned tourism in the Chernobyl nuclear zone, the attorney general's press office said Friday. "Ukraine's law prohibits tourism to the area that suffered radioactive contamination from the Chernobyl disaster," the press office said on its official website. The emergencies ministry in December 2010 revealed a plan to open the disaster site to tourists, and in February the plan was implemented. Ministry experts said they developed a map of travel routes that were safe for visitors. At the same time officials stressed that the radiation situation in the territory was stable and all parameters are within normal limits. However, on June 22, the Chernobyl zone was suddenly closed for travelers without explanation. Technical visits were still allowed, however, and workers, scientists and journalists had an opportunity to access the site. The Chernobyl Exclusion Zone is ranked among the top 10 favorite tourist destinations in the east European country, with nearly 6,000 tourists visiting every year illegally. The Chernobyl disaster, the worst nuclear accident in history, occurred in April 1986, when a series of explosions occurred at the nuclear power plant, resulting in the destruction of the No. 4 reactor and the spread of radiation across Europe and former Soviet countries.