‘Shambolic’ system could prevent those affected by disaster from visiting UK

THE chairman of the Warrington Burtonwood Link of Chernobyl Children’s Lifeline has raised major concerns that children affected by the nuclear disaster in Ukraine may be prevented from visiting the UK due to problems with visas.

Colin Frodsham, from Burtonwood, described the current situation as ‘shambolic’.

Since the disaster in April 1986, the Chernobyl Children’s Lifeline has helped thousands of young people from affected areas in the Ukraine and Belarus to have holidays with British families but now they say their work is becoming impossible.

Mr Frodsham said: “Visas were normally issued via embassies but not now. Due to privatisation, a global French company has taken over and visa application centres are being created in all countries.

“In Minsk, where our children have to present their documents, the office in the embassy has closed and all the children’s documents are sent to Moscow where they can’t cope with the volume. It is in a right state.”

The charity’s founder Victor Mizzi added: “The visa section in Minsk is now closed and visas for Belarus are being issued from Moscow. Apparently Moscow can’t cope with this and are sending passports to Sheffield.

“Passports are being lost and visas are not being issued in time. Other charities are also are also having problems with visas not being issued and passports lost. Visas for Ukraine are no problem as they are being issued from Warsaw.”

The charity is urging people to raise their concerns about the new process to the Home Office to make them ‘aware of the shambles in Moscow and to revert the system back to Minsk’.

Email public.enquiries@homeoffice.

gsi.gov.uk or privateoffice.external@ homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk.