Ukraine's parliament passes law granting combatant status to volunteer fighters
The Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine's parliament, has approved a law introducing amendments to certain legislative acts of Ukraine on granting status and social guarantees to individuals who participated in the anti-terrorist operation, which the president declared to be urgent.
As reported by Censor.NET.
A total of 329 people's deputies voted in favor of the law at a parliament meeting on Wednesday.
The document supplements the law on the status of war veterans, guarantees of their social protection, adding to the list of combatants the fighters of voluntary formations created or self-organized to protect the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, who, within a minimum of 30 days, including in the aggregate of days, participated in the anti-terrorist operation, staying directly in the areas of the anti-terrorist operation during its conduct, carried out measures to ensure national security and defense, repel and deter Russia's armed aggression in Donetsk and Luhansk regions, staying directly in the areas and during the implementation of these measures, in cooperation with the Ukrainian Armed Forces, the Interior Ministry, the National Police, the National Guard, the Security Service of Ukraine, and other military formations and law enforcement agencies set up in accordance with the laws of Ukraine.
According to the law, the combatant status will not extend to employees of enterprises, institutions, organizations who were involved and directly participated in ensuring the conduct of the anti-terrorist operation, the implementation of measures to ensure national security and defense, repel and deter Russia's armed aggression in Donetsk and Luhansk regions, as well as to individuals who voluntarily ensured (or were voluntarily involved in ensuring) the holding of the anti-terrorist operation, the implementation of measures to ensure national security and defense, repel and deter Russia's armed aggression in Donetsk and Luhansk regions (including volunteers).
The procedure for granting combatant status and denying such status is determined by the Cabinet of Ministers.
The document also proposes establishing a mechanism for deciding whether to grant the status of a combatant to such persons and establishes respective grounds.
In addition, the law extends relevant state social benefits and guarantees to these individuals and their families.
The law enters into force on the day following its publication and takes effect on January 1, 2020.
