Ministry of Foreign Affairs provides additional clarification on decision to suspend consular services abroad
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has published an explanation of the decision to temporarily suspend the acceptance of new applications for the provision of consular services for men abroad.
Censor.NET reports this with reference to the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Thus, the Ministry refuted some myths regarding the temporary suspension of accepting new applications for the provision of consular services for men abroad.
Myth #1: The decision deprived all men abroad of access to consular services
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in fact, the decision applies only to men of military age who are abroad and temporarily suspends the acceptance of new applications from this category of citizens for a limited period of time.
"After this period, applications will continue to be accepted. Men of conscription age who have updated their data in accordance with the requirements of the law will be able to apply for consular services, get their slot in the electronic queue and get an appointment at the consulate," the statement said.
It is noted that after 23 April, foreign diplomatic missions of Ukraine recorded a decrease in the number of new applications at the level of 20% to 25%, which indicates that it is only a temporary technical pause for a certain category of Ukrainian citizens, and not all men or all Ukrainians.
During the technical pause in the acceptance of new applications, government agencies are refining the mechanisms of military registration to take into account the provisions of the new law.
The mechanism for updating and verifying military registration data for men of conscription age who are temporarily abroad is currently being determined among the available options and agreed upon by the relevant state authorities.
As soon as this interagency work is completed, the diplomatic missions and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will release additional detailed explanations.
Myth #2: After the decision, men of military age abroad are deprived of consular services, in particular in case of emergency
"This decision in no way relates to the provision of emergency consular assistance to Ukrainian citizens in case of emergencies (road accidents, detention, natural disasters, etc.)," the Foreign Ministry denies.
They add that in such cases, consular officers provide the necessary consular assistance in full to all citizens of Ukraine, women and men of any age and regardless of their military service status or other characteristics, within the framework of the law.
Myth #3: This decision is unconstitutional because the law on mobilization has not yet entered into force
Protecting the rights and interests of Ukrainian citizens abroad has always been and remains a priority for the MFA. The technical pause in accepting new applications from men of military age is due to the need to prepare for the entry into force of new rules for the provision of consular services for this category of citizens in connection with the entry into force of the new law on mobilization.
It is not a matter of termination of services as such, but only a temporary suspension of acceptance of new applications for consular services. This decision was forced, as the timeframe for their consideration may exceed the timeframe for the new legislation to come into force. The goal is to ensure efficient and organized provision of services to all categories of citizens in the context of changes in the legal framework.
The term of suspension of acceptance of new applications is caused by the time required to make technical changes to the algorithms of information and communication systems used to perform the relevant consular functions, as well as to update the bylaws after the adoption of the new law.
Myth #4: The decision suddenly stopped the provision of consular services to all men of military age abroad
According to the press service, all applications for consular services submitted before 23 April 2024 at foreign diplomatic missions are considered and processed by consular offices in full, including applications for a passport of a citizen of Ukraine for travelling abroad submitted before this date.
Myth #5: The decision is unfair to a number of cases where men of mobilization age are abroad either legally or were forced to leave and did not flee from their duty to defend their homeland
"The decision only temporarily suspends the acceptance of new applications for consular services until the mechanisms for clarifying military registration data are finalized in accordance with the requirements of the law," the statement said.
When the new mechanisms come into effect, every man of military age who is temporarily abroad will have the opportunity to update his credentials, including remotely through an electronic account. If a man has clarified his data and has legal grounds to receive consular services in accordance with the requirements of the law, he will have this opportunity. These are equal conditions and the state's attitude towards men in Ukraine and abroad.
Myth #6: This decision violates international human rights conventions
"The decision is temporary and applies only to the acceptance of new applications. Once the mechanisms for implementing the new law are clarified, we will resume accepting applications. There can be no question of any violation of human rights in this case, as each state updates and clarifies its legislation, which sometimes requires changes to the procedure for the functioning of foreign diplomatic missions and the provision of consular services," the Foreign Ministry said.
As Censor.NET reported, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs ordered the heads of all diplomatic missions of Ukraine to temporarily suspend all consular activities with citizens of military age.
