Distinguished colleagues, fellow Ukrainians.
Among the key goals set by the Government for this year is the development of a coherent and comprehensive veterans' policy.
As a society, as a nation, as the State, we will always feel indebted to the heroes who defend Ukraine's freedom and independence. We are working to create decent conditions to ensure the adaptation, rehabilitation, personal development and well-being of veterans of the russian-Ukrainian war.
The Government has already begun approving a number of strategies, regulations and launching programs based on a new approach to veterans' policy.
In general, we can identify 8 main framework tasks that we face.
The first is the adaptation of military personnel to civilian life. The relevant strategy has already been elaborated. The main idea is that the transition from military service to civilian life should be as comfortable as possible for our defenders.
The second is medical services and psychological support. We are also launching a major reform of the MSEC and the MMEC. In other words, Medical and Social Expert Commissions and Military Medical Examination Commissions. There should be no queues, no obscure certificates and no running around between offices. We make the service of these commissions as comfortable as possible for the military. Certificates should accompany the veteran, not vice versa. All terms for investigating the circumstances of the injury will be reduced. The number of full-time and garrison Military Medical Examination Commissions will be significantly increased. We are digitizing all approvals to the maximum extent possible. Pilot projects have already been launched, and this year the updated approaches should become operational throughout the country.
The third objective of our strategy is to create economic opportunities for veterans. Therefore, the first step is to expand the Veterans' Business program. We are talking about grants for veterans and their families to start their own business in any field. Today, the Government is to adopt a resolution to expand the eRobota program of non-refundable grants, which will include separate areas specifically for veteran businesses:
First direction. A veteran can receive UAH 250,000 in grants for his or her own business, provided that at least one job is created in this business.
Second direction. A family member of a combat veteran can receive a UAH 500,000 grant, provided that the new business creates at least two jobs. Co-financing under this program will be 70% to 30%. That is, the state contributes 70%, and the new entrepreneur must contribute 30%.
Third direction. A combat veteran can receive a UAH 1 million grant if he or she has been an entrepreneur before and has been registered as an individual entrepreneur for at least 3 years. The main condition for this grant is to create at least 4 jobs, of which at least two are for veterans or people with disabilities as a result of war. Here, same as in the second program, the co-financing will be 70% to 30%.
All grant applications will be accepted through the Diia. Everything will be simple, clear and convenient.
More than 3,500 new businesses have already been established thanks to the eRobota program. We expect that in the coming years, the government's non-refundable grants will allow thousands of new veteran-owned businesses to be created in various industries and locations across our country.
The next aspect in this block of economic opportunities is retraining and education. A program of special vouchers for learning a new profession. Training in IT specialties. Benefits for obtaining another education. All of this is on the agenda, and some of the programs are already in place.
Fourth direction of our strategy is services for veterans. The development of the digital project eVeteran. Services for veterans in the CASPs (Center for Administrative Services Provision).
Fifth is housing for veterans. Preferential mortgage lending for the defenders of Ukraine. The goal is to create an opportunity for every veteran to get his/her own apartment.
Sixth is the introduction of a veteran's assistant. The activities of these assistants will be based on the principle of individual approach, which is to identify and solve the problems of each particular defender. This means assistance in all matters. This includes medical care, rehabilitation, advice on obtaining documents or benefits, educational services, employment assistance, interaction with various services to quickly and comfortably resolve all issues or problems.
Seventh direction is to establish service offices for veterans. The main tasks are to coordinate work, interact with local authorities to support veterans, summarize needs, and implement state policy in the areas of social and legal protection of war veterans and their families. Such offices will be established across the country. We will involve communities and international partners to ensure effective organization of work and proper funding.
Eighth, we will honor the feat of veterans at the level of the state, community and society as a whole. Today, the Government will approve an action plan to recognize the feat of veterans of the russian-Ukrainian war. This action plan is designed for the next three years.
Ukrainian society will never forget the price our soldiers paid in this war. The Government's mission is to create comfortable services and opportunities for our veterans.
We will always remember and pass this memory on to the next generations of Ukrainians. About how free and brave people stood up to defend their country, how they were fighting and how they won.
I am grateful to each and every one of you who is now fighting for our land.
Glory to the security and defense forces of Ukraine!
Glory to Ukraine!