NAUDI appeals to prime minister to prevent reduction in defense industry’s mobilization exemption quota and organize meeting with industry representatives
Serhii Pashynskyi, head of the National Association of Ukrainian Defense Industries (NAUDI), called on the government to hold a meeting with relevant defense industry associations on the issue of mobilization exemptions.
He reported this on Facebook, according to Censor.NET.
What is known?
"I was forced to appeal to Prime Minister Serhii Koretskyi over the Ministry of Economy’s ill-conceived attempt to reduce the percentage of defense industry workers eligible for mobilization exemptions," NAUDI head Serhii Pashynskyi said.
In its appeal dated October 12, the association warns that reducing mobilization exemptions could lead to the loss of specialists already in short supply, slow weapons development and delay the launch of new production facilities. According to an industry estimate cited in the letter, defense industry workers account for no more than 10% of all workers with mobilization exemptions in Ukraine.
"Those few thousand people who would lose their mobilization exemptions as a result of these actions will certainly not solve the problems of mobilization into the Defense Forces, but this will undoubtedly undermine our ability to supply weapons and ammunition to the military. And it will certainly damage not only Ukraine’s defense capability but also its economy," Pashynskyi said.
In its appeal, NAUDI also emphasized that the Ministry of Economy has yet to complete a number of tasks important to the development of the defense industry. In particular, the association points to the lack of a legal framework enabling defense exports, foreign exchange restrictions that hinder equipment purchases and the establishment of joint ventures with foreign partners, and the absence of a war risk insurance mechanism for arms manufacturers.
"I ask you to intervene in this matter and prevent the adoption of a decision that bears all the hallmarks of sabotage against national security and our country’s defense efforts," Pashynskyi said in his appeal to the prime minister.
NAUDI previously opposed a draft resolution that would reduce the mobilization exemption quota for employees liable for military service at critically important defense industry enterprises from 100% to 85%. This is a proposed change that has not yet been adopted.
Background
- It was previously reported that the Ministry of Economy proposes reducing the mobilization exemption quota for defense industry workers from 100% to 85%.
- Meanwhile, the Ukrainian Council of Arms Manufacturers opposed the move and called for retaining the option to grant mobilization exemptions to up to 100% of employees liable for military service at enterprises in the sector.
- The National Association of Ukrainian Defense Industries (NAUDI), in turn, called on the Ministry of Economy to withdraw the draft resolution reducing the defense industry’s mobilization exemption quota to 85%.
