MP: state should not only delegate powers on veterans' policy to local authorities, but also back it up with funding
Kyiv • UNN
The state should not only delegate the authority for veterans' policy to local authorities, but also back it up with funding, the MP believes.
There are certain shortcomings in veterans' policy in Ukraine due to the fact that local authorities lack the funds to provide combatants with the assistance guaranteed by the state. This opinion was expressed by the first deputy chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Social Policy and Protection of Veterans' Rights, Mykhailo Tsymbalyuk, in a commentary to UNN.
According to the MP, Ukraine is studying the experience of other countries in this area. But the main problem, in his opinion, is the dispersion of powers.
"Indeed, the state was not ready, and there are a number of objective reasons for this. Because the number of veterans is growing, now there are more than two million, and there will be even more... We are studying the experience of the United States and Israel, but we definitely have to work out our own way. Today, there is no real state policy. What is being done today is to pass bills and improve the framework. For example, the system of veterans' assistants has not been launched, despite the promises of the Ministry of Veterans and the Cabinet of Ministers.
There is a fragmentation of functions. Some of them are performed by the Ministry of Social Policy, some by the Ministry of Veterans. It is necessary to unite this so that the Ministry of Veterans has more powers, especially with regard to the protection of veterans on the ground. Because when a combatant returns to an amalgamated community, and the state has delegated authority but not given money, then assistance is provided depending on the community: housing, employment, etc. That is why all this should be state guarantees that come down from the top down along with funding," said Mykhailo Tsymbalyuk.
The representative of the relevant committee added that the funds allocated by the state to solve the housing problems of veterans are not enough. At the same time, the issue of prosthetics for people with disabilities has been almost resolved.
"As for housing, part of the funds have already been allocated this year - UAH 5.7 billion - for purchase or compensation. This is much less than what is needed. As for prosthetics, I think the government has almost solved this issue. It allocates up to two million hryvnias for prosthetics for each person. There is already a wide range of markets for these services, including foreign ones. But it is important that the state creates the conditions for prostheses to be manufactured here, because most of them are high-tech products that require maintenance and service here in Ukraine. But I would like to emphasize once again that this is an objective issue, because there has never been such a large number of veterans," said Mr. Tsymbalyuk.
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On the eve of the opening of a veterans' hub in the Brovary community, Brovary Mayor Ihor Sapozhko saidthat the city council has a clear understanding that veterans' policy is, in fact, a key area of its work.
"Now in our community there are up to two thousand veterans, 278 of whom are people with disabilities. And no matter how much we want it, as long as the war continues, the number of these people will unfortunately grow. They need psychological and physical rehabilitation, some need help with work and housing. We face these issues here on the ground every day. And, of course, in order to solve them, we need to have relevant government programs in place and adequate funding. For our part, we also allocate certain funds to support veterans and simplify the procedures for solving urgent issues. After all, these people defended our land with weapons in their hands, and they should be given due respect," Sapozhko said.
