People’s deputies are planning to solve the problem of preferential travel for veterans, because often the beneficiaries are denied free travel on public transport or are treated with disrespect.
The Committee on Social Policy and Protection of Veterans’ Rights recommended that the Verkhovna Rada adopt the draft law as a basis №5651-2, regarding travel allowances and other benefits. During the meeting, representatives of the ministries explained that this draft law changes the very principle of providing preferential travel, introducing cards that veterans and other beneficiaries can use to pay for public transport.
The main draft law №5651 and three alternatives to it were registered as early as June 2021, but have not yet been considered in the first reading. Oleksandr Dyachenko, a representative of the Ministry of Communities and Territories Development, emphasized that the issue of preferential travel is the most urgent among the appeals to the ministry, because passengers often do not receive the service, and carriers – compensation. The introduction of the new system will make it possible to use budget funds more efficiently and reduce corruption risks, since the money will go directly to the beneficiaries.
“In order to receive this money, a person must verify himself, TsNAP must verify that he is a beneficiary. This is how people who use fake documents are cut off and the number of those who use the right to travel is reduced.”, he explained.
Dyachenko added that the money can be spent only on the payment of travel to licensed carriers. Although the draft law provides for the installation of validators, they can be replaced by other automated systems, in particular applications on mobile phones.
“In the future, 100% of public transport will be with such systems”, – noted the representative of the Ministry of Development.
The draft law also envisages the creation of territorial systems for cashless payment of travel and accounting of trips, which will allow more precisely determining the need for discounted travel and depositing the necessary funds into the budget.
“The problem that the carrier will not be paid for the beneficiary will disappear, for him it will be a customer like any other. This will remove the problem when veterans and beneficiaries are refused and treated with disrespect.” — said First Deputy Minister of Social Policy of Ukraine Daryna Marchak.
She added that every veteran, pensioner or person with a disability is in different life circumstances, and the new approach will make it possible to provide service to those who really need it. Unused funds will be returned to the budget, and communities will have the opportunity to independently determine the priority categories of beneficiaries.
At the same time, the Association of Cities expressed concern that due to limited opportunities, some communities may not be able to provide benefits. In addition, compensation for losses to carriers is a significant financial burden on local budgets without adequate support from the state.
