Radiation spots in Minsk
An average radiation background in the city on Monday varied from 12 to 14 micro roentgens per hour. Near the National Library, the level of radiation rose to 17 micro roentgens. When we placed the dosimeter right next to the library’s building, it showed 25 micro roentgens.
Freedom Square was the next destination for our journalistic investigation. Our target was the sidewalk tiles near the Old City Hall. The dosimeter showed the radiation level at 31 micro roentgens.
The granite tiles used to pave the floor at the underground Capital trade center displayed the lowest radiation level: 17 micro roentgens per hour. But above the underground shopping complex, next to the building of Minsk City Hall, the numbers on the dosimeter showed the highest level of 49 micro roentgens.
We made another test on the Independence Square. Several days ago, journalists from the state-run media walked there with a dosimeter and found nothing, according to their article. However, the story in a newspaper was accompanied with a photograph which depicted a dosimeter showing 63 micro roentgens. ERB’s dosimeter also displayed a similar figure of 60 micro roentgens.
The European Radio for Belarus reported earlier that the first lab tests of the sidewalk tiles were made in May by the specialists from the Institute for Energy and Nuclear Research, following a request from Interior Ministry’s economic crime and anti-corruption task force. The scientists then reported their conclusions to the police.
According to Katsyaryna Shelegava-Samusenkava, Interior Ministry’s spokesperson, all the collected materials were forwarded to the Office of the Prosecutor General. It is now them to decide whether to open a criminal case or not.
A staff at the press office of the Office of the Prosecutor General was surprised to learn from the European Radio for Belarus that prosecutors were processing a case “about the radioactive sidewalk tiles on the Independence Square”. He assured our radio that they did not have those materials.
Meanwhile, right after the European Radio for Belarus ran a story about the radioactive tiles in the center of Minsk, the director of a company that reconstructed the main square resigned. We were unable to identify whether his resignation was linked with the story about the radioactive tiles in Minsk. The company’s phones were dead throughout the whole day on Monday.
On the bench near the Red Cathedral, the level of radiation is 10 micro roentgens less than on the tiles
At the first floor of the Capital trade center, the level of radiation is the lowest
Radiation is also next to Old Town Hall
Near the National Library, the radiation level is higher than elsewhere in the city
