In the second reading, the Verkhovna Rada (the Ukrainian Parliament) adopted draft law No. 9559-d, which allows local self-government bodies to finance units of the Defense Forces of Ukraine. 303 MPs voted in favor.
The MP Yaroslav Zheleznyak reported this.
The draft law enables local councils to make decisions on financial and material support of the security and defense sector during the period of martial law, to approve local programs of such support. However, this does not apply to the provision of firearms, ammunition and explosives. The Ministry of Defense must be notified of its decisions by the Verkhovna Rada.
The draft law also provides that meetings of local self-government bodies can be held remotely. At such meetings, only:
- urgent changes to the local budget;
- urgent works to eliminate the consequences of emergency situations;
- work in the field of defense, in particular, providing financial and material support to the Defense Forces;
- the issue of removing symbols of Russian imperial policy from public space;
- procedural issues.
At remote meetings, land and natural resources management, as well as issues that are decided by secret ballot, cannot be considered.
At the same time, the draft law regulates individual personnel issues for the period of martial law. In particular, it expands the employment opportunities of local self-government officials who are on idle, long vacations without salary.