War veterans suggest delaying reform

On October 22 the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Pensioners, Veterans, and the Disabled addressed the issue of the social security of war veterans. Nearly four million Ukrainians fall into this category, of whom 812,000 participated in hostilities, with nearly 300,000 granted the status of disabled veterans. They enjoy a whole package of social privileges in the sphere of transportation, housing, health care, and other services such as free delivery of foodstuffs and medication, preparation of food, laundering, etc. Ukraine’s legislation in force guarantees them all of these privileges.

All privileges fall into three categories, that is, privileges granted for special merits and those classed according to social or service characteristics. In view of the fact that any transition from the system of privileges to a system of targeted aid has been proclaimed a state priority, privileges for special merits could be transformed into social aid. Such a transformation does not suit war veterans both in terms of its wording and the size of payments it envisions. Notably, the state budget currently reimburses transport companies for a mere 30% of the losses they incur as a result of providing free transportation to war veterans. In the past eight months alone, the State Railway Company provided services to 800,000 passengers traveling for free. Meanwhile, refunds for unused tickets for stays at health resorts amount to UAH 70 and are paid once every two years, which is not quite 10% of the average cost of a one-time stay at a health resort. Meanwhile, a mere 3-10% of war veterans receive free medical care and have been provided with vehicles.

War veterans living in rural areas face especially big problems with transportation. The Transport Ministry promises to solve this problem primarily in settlements where there are paved roads. Those using dirt roads will have to wait years. Committee experts have estimated that in case war veterans are switched to a targeted aid system in 2004, the total amount of social aid envisioned for them will decrease twofold from this year. Thus far plans for a transition to a targeted aid system have met no major opposition, but many would like to see the mechanisms of its introduction revised more thoroughly.