Prime Minister of Ukraine Arseniy Yatsenyuk appealed to the Defense Ministry, Interior Ministry and non-governmental organizations to make proposals for the appointment of a Minister for ATO participants without creating an appropriate Ministry. The Head of Government said this at a meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers on Wednesday, 21 October.

The Prime Minister reminded that under the Law of Ukraine on the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine the Prime Minister has a constitutional authority to submit to the Parliament the candidacies of two Ministers without creating relevant Ministries, "This is the introduction of political positions of Ministers without creating Ministries eligible to perform organizational, administrative and political functions."

He stressed that on the Day of Defender of Ukraine he together with the Minister of Internal Affairs met with the leadership of the Main Department of the National Guard of Ukraine: "It raised a lot of questions about medical and psychological rehabilitation of ATO participants, as well as real protection of those people who defended and keep defending Ukraine."

"I publicly appeal to the parliamentary coalition, the Minister of Defence, Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, NGOs and all members of the Government to make proposals for the appointment of a Minister for ATO participants, who shall carried out coordination work in the medical, psychological and social rehabilitation for 131,000 participants of the anti-terrorist operation who have received the appropriate status," Arseny Yatsenyuk pointed out.

Such a Minister, the Prime Minister has noted, will have the authority to coordinate the activity of the Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Regional Development, Ministry of Social Policy "with the intention to provide ATO participants with all the benefits defined by law - social, medical and property ones."

After receiving the corresponding proposals the Prime Minister will make a submission to the Parliament on the appointment of a Minister for participants of the anti-terrorist operation without creating an appropriate Ministry.