CHERNOBYL, Dec. 14 – The Emergencies Ministry plans to organize regular tourist excursions to the Chernobyl zone starting in January.

"We have carried out serious work at the Emergencies Ministry, and on December 21 corresponding services of the ministry, by order of the minister, will hold a press conference to report on this work…, so that in January we can make these visits regular and systematic," Ukrainian Emergencies Minister Viktor Baloha said during a visit with UN Development Program Administrator Helen Clark to the Chernobyl zone on Sunday.

Baloha said that "the door to the Chernobyl zone should be opened, so that people can see the situation."