The list of documents required for issuing certificates that grant eligibility for benefits has been updated for the families of missing servicemen. This was reported by the Ministry of Defense, according to UNN.
Details
The Cabinet of Ministers has supported amendments to the Procedure for Issuing Certificates to family members of servicemen who died (perished) or went missing during military service.
It is now clearly established that if there is a court decision declaring a person dead or establishing the fact of death, a Military Medical Commission (MMC) resolution is not required, even if the person previously had the status of missing in action. Requirements for providing extracts from orders (or copies) and documents regarding the causes and circumstances of death remain in place.
The resolution clarifies the list of documents that serve as the basis for issuing the certificate:
- firstly: it establishes the possibility of using a court decision declaring a serviceman dead or establishing the legal fact of their death as a full-fledged basis for obtaining such a certificate.
- secondly: exceptions regarding the need to provide an MMC resolution have been expanded in cases where the court has already established the fact of death or the serviceman has been declared dead.
Prior to the changes, families had to provide the following documents to apply for the certificate:
- an extract from the order to remove the serviceman from the personnel lists or a copy of such an order;
- a death certificate or a court decision recognizing the person as missing;
- a document on the causes and circumstances of death, confirming that it was not the result of a criminal or administrative offense, being in a state of intoxication, or intentional self-harm;
- an MMC resolution, except in cases where the serviceman went missing.
"Because of this, problems could arise when a person was considered missing for a long time, and the family went to court and received a decision declaring the person dead or establishing the legal fact of death. After that, the formal status was no longer 'missing,' so the family could be required to provide an MMC resolution to issue the certificate. However, it might not physically exist or could be difficult to obtain,"