Furlough and treatment abroad. The Verkhovna Rada supported the draft law on military benefits

In the first reading, the Verkhovna Rada (the Ukrainian Parliament) supported draft law No. 10313 "On Amendments to Certain Laws of Ukraine Regarding Ensuring the Rights of Servicemen and Policemen to Social Protection."

The Ministry of Defense explained what benefits the document provides for the military and what problematic issues of the social sphere in the military it solves:

• the possibility of a one-time leave upon the birth of a child with the preservation of financial support in full;
• the possibility for wounded military personnel, based on the decision of the military medical commision (MMC), to be treated abroad for more than four months if necessary;
• establishment of norms against gender discrimination and against sexual harassment;
• permission to hire civilians as military chaplains.

The draft law also provides for the introduction of new powers for state bodies in the field of humanitarian aid related to the mandatory quality control of humanitarian aid provided to the Defense Forces. And also it establishes responsibility for the lack of official quality control of goods (items) of humanitarian aid.