The Belgian authorities plan to provide all residents of the country with tablets to minimize the possible effects of radiation, local media reported Thursday.

At the moment, Brussels provides such drugs to residents living within a 12-mile radius of nuclear power plants (NPP) located both within the country and in neighboring states.

According to the Libre Belgique newspaper, Belgian Health Minister Maggie De Block indicated that this radius would be expanded up to 62 miles, which would effectively cover the entire country.

Questions over the safety of the NPPs operated in Belgium have repeatedly been raised by the country's neighbors, largely because of the prolongation of their exploitation, as well as a number of minor incidents and technical problems that have occurred.

Belgium's Federal Agency for Nuclear Control (FANC) has previously assured neighboring countries that the plants meet the highest safety standards.

Under current Belgian law, nuclear power is to be completely phased out by 2025, as the country switches to relying on renewable energy and some fossil fuels for its electricity needs.

Source: Sputnik News