A meeting of the working group on missing persons in Donbas and military and civilian hostages (prisoners) was held in the Office of the President of Ukraine.
The relatives of the missing persons and hostages, representatives of the Office of the President, NGOs, the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Social Policy, Ministry for Veterans Affairs, Temporarily Occupied Territories and Internally Displaced Persons of Ukraine took part in it.
The participants of the meeting discussed the issues of social protection of hostage families and persons who disappeared during the hostility in Donbas.
Deputy Head of the Office of the President Anna Kovalenko stressed the importance of reviewing legislation in force to increase Іtate support for such families.
“We are committed to constructive settlement and consideration of all these issues you were talking about. Thank you for participating in this dialogue,” Anna Kovalenko said.
The fundamental principles of the bill were presented at the meeting, which had to solve the social problems of families of hostages and missing persons. In particular, it is proposed to provide social, legal and psychological support to families. Medical assistance was also provided during the rehabilitation of released persons. This bill was worked, in particular, by public organizations, Ministry for Veterans Affairs, Temporarily Occupied Territories and Internally Displaced Persons of Ukraine and the Ministry of Social Policy.
A representative of the non-governmental organization Stabilization Support Services Irina Loyuk invited relatives of the missing persons and hostages to submit suggestions to the bill.
The problems related to financial support for families were raised during the meeting. The mother of a captive volunteer Borys Mysyurenko emphasized the importance of maintaining scholarships for underage children who were captured by illegal armed groups.
The participants of the meeting also emphasized the importance of legislative regulation of issues related to granting separate status to families of missing persons.
First Deputy Minister for Veterans Affairs, Temporarily Occupied Territories and Internally Displaced Persons of Ukraine Anton Columbet said that the Ministry proposed to increase funding for the Affordable Housing Program for combatants and internally displaced persons.
“This program provides for 50 % State aid for housing costs. Thus, the State Budget helps a person to buy housing,” Anton Columbus explained.
In addition, work is underway on a bill on preferential mortgages for combatants.