President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy has signed a law defining the procedure for the creation and functioning of military cemeteries and the rules for the honorary burial of defenders. This is stated on the official website of the Verkhovna Rada, reports UNN.
Details
The document systematically regulates the issue of perpetuating the memory of the fallen and deceased persons who defended the state, and also establishes clear rules for the use of land for such facilities.
The law forms unified approaches to the creation of military cemeteries and guarantees proper honoring of the defenders of Ukraine
What the new rules for the arrangement of military cemeteries and memorials entail
The law provides for the possibility of creating a National Military Memorial Cemetery and a network of regional memorial cemeteries. For this purpose, the use of state-owned land is permitted.
At the same time, clear restrictions have been defined. It is prohibited to locate such facilities on the territories of the nature reserve fund of national importance, water fund lands, and within residential areas.
The document also clarifies key terms. In particular, the concepts of a military cemetery, a memorial cemetery, a historical military burial, and a military burial sector are legally established.
It is separately emphasized that regional memorial cemeteries will become part of a unified national-level system.
Who is eligible for honorary burial and at whose expense
The law defines the list of persons who can be buried with military honors. It includes servicemen of the security and defense sector, police officers, combat participants, persons with disabilities resulting from war, as well as those awarded state honors and participants in international peacekeeping missions.
At the same time, restrictions have been established. Honorary burial is not provided for persons with an unspent criminal record for intentional crimes.
The procedure for organizing burials and the rules for perpetuating memory will be determined by the government. In complex or specific cases, decisions will be made by a special commission.
The financing of burials will be carried out at the expense of the state budget, and in certain cases — local budgets. All burials and reburials will be subject to mandatory registration, including in electronic form.
The document also establishes that military memorial cemeteries remain in state ownership and cannot be leased or privatized.