The Ministry for the Reintegration of Temporarily Occupied Territories reported that 6,570 places of compact residence for IDPs have been equipped in Ukraine at present.
“In Ukraine, 6,570 places of compact residence for IDPs (internally displaced persons) have been equipped, and the state continues to increase their number. It is easier for the authorities to provide educational, medical and other services for those living in them. The organization of work with our migrants is entrusted to local and regional authorities, however, in close cooperation with the central ones,” the press service of the ministry said in a statement.
It is noted that for people who were forced to move, modular cities were deployed in five regions, 25 of these towns were built by the Polish government.
“Of course, this is not enough, and therefore, negotiations are now underway with international donors and governments of other countries on the possible attraction of investments. On behalf of the President of Ukraine, a project is being developed to build such housing in the regions. investors, and this should be done before spring,” the message says.
The World Bank will soon provide Ukraine with a $100 million loan to help internally displaced persons (IDPs), World Bank Regional Country Director for Eastern Europe Arup Banerji has said.
He said in an interview with Interfax-Ukraine that given the acute need for central budget financing, the World Bank is currently focusing on providing quick and immediate assistance, which, in turn, can help the population, especially the most vulnerable groups of the population. First, very soon we will allocate another $100 million to help internally displaced persons, he said.
Banerji added that the World Bank continues to provide assistance in the healthcare, infrastructure and energy sectors under existing projects.
We are also exploring opportunities for cooperation with other bilateral development partners (for example, Italy, Japan and the United States) who are very interested in attracting PEACE (Project Support to Public Expenditure to Sustainable Public Administration in Ukraine) loan and funding others types of confirmed budget expenditures, the World Bank regional director noted.
Specific items have not yet been agreed, but will certainly include additional payments to internally displaced persons and other vulnerable groups in Ukraine, Arup Banerji added.
HELP, IDPS, LOAN, WORLD BANK
The State Fund for Support of Youth Housing Construction announced the purchase of housing for further leasing to internally displaced persons (IDPs) from large families whose housing was destroyed as a result of Russian aggression.
As reported in the release, a total of 100 apartments are being purchased: in Kyiv and Chernihiv regions, 35 each, in Sumy 20 and Zhytomyr 10.
Housing, renovated and furnished, can be purchased from individuals and legal entities-owners of such housing.
The minimum total area of housing is 31.5 square meters, maximum – 94.5 square meters.
As reported, by Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers No. 495 of April 29, 2022, the procedure for the buyout, construction of housing for the purpose of transferring to internally displaced persons for temporary residence was approved.
The State Youth Housing Fund can purchase ready-made housing, provided that the cost of acquiring 1 square meter of the total area of housing (taking into account all mandatory payments paid by the buyer when purchasing housing) does not exceed the marginal cost.
The marginal cost is calculated based on the indirect cost of housing construction in the regions of Ukraine determined by the Ministry of Regional Development and increased for: cities – regional centers, cities of regional significance with a population of more than 300,000 people and settlements located in areas adjacent to the borders of cities – regional centers – 1.75 times; other settlements – 1.5 times.
For example, in February 2022, the Ministry of Regional Development approved an indirect cost for Zakarpattia region of UAH 13,892/square meter, and for Kyiv – UHA 18,704/square meter. This means that the marginal cost of housing ready for occupancy, which can be paid by the state or communities, in Uzhgorod is UAH 24,311/square meter, in Kyiv it is UAH 32,732/square meter.
The UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine calls on the Verkhovna Rada to provide internally displaced persons (IDPs) with the opportunity to vote in the upcoming local elections. The UNHR urges parliament to take steps to provide IDPs and labor migrants with the opportunity to vote in local elections scheduled for 2020, mission head Matilda Bogner said at a press conference, presenting “Report on the human rights situation in Ukraine 16 May to 15 August 2019” in Kyiv on Tuesday.
She noted that the Monitoring Mission would monitor developments around the Electoral Code, which President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky vetoed, giving Parliament 30 days to amend the document.
Bogner emphasized the need to solve the problem of paying pensions to residents of temporarily uncontrolled territories of Donbas. She said pensions should be paid to everyone who is entitled to them, regardless of their place of residence, adding this is an urgent recommendation, hoping that the new government will consider it one of the priorities.
In addition, the Mission notes that it is necessary to find a mechanism for paying off pension arrears.
At the same time, the UN Mission considers the decision of the Cabinet of Ministers to compensate families whose homes were destroyed as a result of the conflict in Donbas a positive sign. However, it has concerns about a number of issues, in particular, the condition that applicants for compensation should live in the same village where the destroyed housing is located, as well as the fact that funds for these needs will be provided for in the budget after 2020.
As reported, on July 15, 2019, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine established a mechanism for monetary compensation for private housing destroyed as a result of Russian armed aggression in eastern Ukraine.
The public union “All-Ukrainian Platform of Donbas” and Yulia Tymoshenko’s Batkivschyna party have signed a memorandum of cooperation in lawmaking in the newly elected parliament: human rights activists and MPs committed themselves to jointly lobby bills to help solve the problems of Donbas residents and displaced people. The signing of the memorandum took place on June 20, 2019 on the World Refugee Day. The document provides for the development and consolidation of the state strategy of assistance to the residents of Donbas, the gradual implementation of a comprehensive policy to restore peace and territorial integrity of Ukraine.
“The aggressive attitude towards people, inattention, and detachment from problems is unacceptable. The new government is obliged to view it in a completely different way and take real steps to help all its citizens,” Tymoshenko believes.
“The pressing issues for Ukrainians from Donbas are: the lack of permanent housing, restrictions in the passing of the contact line, legislative gaps in the issuing of identity documents, non-payment of pensions,” head of the All-Ukrainian Platform of Donbas Hennadiy Borysychiv said.
The parties agreed on the need to create an international fund for the restoration and development of Donbas, where donor funds will be used exclusively for the intended purposes.
“Over the past five years, international donors have provided the Ukrainian authorities with about $1 billion in assistance to support the affected residents of Donbas and damaged infrastructure. However, they were inefficient: some money was stolen, and some were simply redistributed to other state needs, which is a crime against affected people. In addition, it undermines the credibility of donor states to Ukraine,” Borysychiv said.
The All-Ukrainian Platform of Donbas is a public union that united organizations and coalitions of internally displaced persons in order to protect and restore their rights.
ALL-UKRAINIAN PLATFORM OF DONBAS, BORYSYCHIV, IDPS, TYMOSHENKO'S
