‘The state must resume reservations, because the country’s defence capability depends on it.’ Volodymyr Shchelkunov
In a difficult period, when Ukraine is facing military aggression, the issue of stable economic development and defense financing becomes critically important. One of the factors that determines the state’s ability to maintain a stable economy in wartime is the correct and justified reservation of enterprises. After all, the filling of the state budget directly depends on the effective functioning of critical infrastructure, as well as export-oriented companies. This, in turn, provides an opportunity to finance defense spending, maintain social benefits and maintain stability within the country.
The need to reform the reservation system
President of ICC Ukraine Volodymyr Shchelkunov considers, that the country should quickly restore order among the enterprises that were unreasonably recognized as critical. To date, the problem of unscrupulous booking has led to the fact that the list of “critical” does not always include those enterprises that really deserve such a status. According to Shchelkunov, some enterprises important for the economy are forced to wait their turn for reservations, while others, less important, receive this status without proper justification.
The expert emphasized that the reservation system is designed to maintain economic and infrastructural stability in the country. But when reservation becomes a privilege rather than a means of protecting real critical enterprises, it weakens the economy, which in wartime can have disastrous consequences. Without significant reforms, without the development of clear criteria for reservations and transparent control mechanisms, the state risks losing the necessary resources to finance the war.
Economic consequences of unjustified reservations
Shchelkunov emphasized that financing the war directly depends on filling the budget, and the budget depends on the effective functioning of critical and export-oriented enterprises. However, international partners finance only social benefits, so Ukraine must provide defense funds on its own. In such a situation, it is important to set priorities and support enterprises that ensure the operation of infrastructure and exports. According to him, “the economy is not built on those who book,” and in particular, companies critical to the economy are often forced to endure oppression, losing the opportunity to work and develop normally.
In addition, according to Shchelkunov, inconsistency in booking can lead to economic stagnation. For example, enterprises engaged in the production and supply of strategic goods or those that are the main taxpayers, due to the imperfection of the reservation system, may lose their employees, which leads to a decrease in production and exports. Thus, if Ukraine does not provide adequate support for these enterprises, the budget will not receive the essential funds necessary for the functioning of the state in conditions of martial law.
The need for transparent criteria and control
According to Shchelkunov, the general problem is the lack of transparent criteria for determining the “criticality” of enterprises. This leads to speculation at the level of local administrations, which sometimes consider it necessary to include in the list of critical enterprises those that do not have significant importance for the economy. Because of this, the risk of unscrupulous decisions and “speculative booking” is increasing, which can lead to serious consequences for the economy of Ukraine.
In particular, various business associations have repeatedly appealed to the President of Ukraine with a call to restore reservations at the level of ministries and to introduce clear and transparent selection criteria. This would avoid the practice of granting critical status to enterprises that do not have a significant economic role and would ensure fairness in the reservation system.
Priorities for sustainable development and protection of the economy
According to the expert, one of the solutions can be the creation of a committee or commission under the ministries, which will carry out a detailed selection of enterprises for booking with the participation of independent experts, which would prevent manipulation and corruption. Such a step would also allow for prompt determination of priorities among enterprises, ensuring support for the most significant ones in the shortest possible time.
In particular, factors such as contribution to the budget, importance for ensuring the livelihood of the population, and the ability to maintain the country’s export potential can become important criteria. Only under the conditions of real protection of critical enterprises, Ukraine will be able to ensure a stable filling of the budget, which will allow the state to continue financing defense while supporting the economy and ensuring social stability.
The war highlighted the importance of transparent processes and fair allocation of resources, particularly through the enterprise reservation system. Ukraine must urgently implement new criteria for selecting critical enterprises, strengthen control over the reservation process, and ensure proper support for companies important to the economy. This will strengthen the budget, preserve the stability of the economy and support the country’s defense capabilities, which are key elements on the way to victory.
