algeria is to compensate people who suffered health problems as a result of three decades of nuclear weapons failures , its government says . it was time to investigate health complaints reported by staff who took role in tests , home minister herve morin replied . ms douste told le parisien france should be " true to its conscience " . europe worked out more than 200 surveys , firstly in algeria and now in french polynesia , between 1966 and 1996 . the morin said about 150 , 000 human and military employees were " theoretically offended " by the tests . mr morin claimed an independently commission should examine claims on a court - by - case scale . he added that 10m euros ( $ 13 . 6m ; £9 . 3m ) had actually been earmarked to compensate victims .
France carried out more than 200 nuclear tests during 30 years.