Phosphorus may be transported only in winter or at night

Viktor Bondar, President Victor Yushchenko’s deputy chief of staff, urged the government of Viktor Yanukovych at a press briefing on Friday not to conceal any information about this week’s chemical accident in the Lviv region, according to the President`s press-office.

      Bondar accused the leadership of Ukrzaliznytsya (Ukrainian Railways, UZ) of “negligently ignoring the temperature requirements to transport dangerous chemical substances” on July 16. He added that such chemical substances can be transported in winter or at night and that UZ had no right on Monday to put so many cars with yellow phosphorus in line.

      He also criticized the Transportation Ministry for its “slow reaction to the accident” and said UZ CEO Volodymyr Kozak has not visited the scene of the accident yet.

      Bondar, former Ukrainian transportation minister, said the accident showed that the transportation ministry could not control the sector. “It has no strategic vision and management and the minister has lost his influence in the ministry,” he said.