The Government has improved the mechanism for providing housing on affordable mortgage terms for war veterans and family members of fallen defenders. The relevant amendments to the Terms of Provision of Affordable Mortgage Lending by the Private Joint Stock Company “Ukrainian Financial Housing Company” to Ukrainian Citizens were adopted today at a meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine.

The regulatory act was developed with the active participation of experts from the Ministry for Veterans Affairs of Ukraine following consultations with the Ukrainian Financial Housing Company and Ukrainian banks and in pursuance of the Prime Minister’s order.

According to Yulia Laputina, Minister for Veterans Affairs of Ukraine, until now, only active military personnel, as well as educational, medical and scientific workers, have been eligible for affordable mortgage lending. The initiated changes are aimed at improving the eOselia (eHousing) programme for war veterans, in particular by addressing issues arising in the course of military service.

Thus, the eOselia programme will be available to war veterans and families of fallen defenders of Ukraine. In addition, the right to a preferential mortgage at 3% per annum has been retained for service members who, while defending their homeland, suffered a group I-II disability, were discharged from military service or lost their respective status or rank.

For example, earlier in case of dismissal for health reasons and change of status, the right to a preferential mortgage at 3% was lost. Military personnel who purchased housing on preferential mortgage terms during their military service and in defence of the state, and who were injured, contused or mutilated and suffered a group I-II disability as a result, had to pay an interest rate of 7% instead of 3%.

“Thanks to the fruitful cooperation of the Ministry for Veterans Affairs with the Ministry of Economy and the Government, we have been able to resolve this issue. From now on, our defenders who were wounded, contused, mutilated and suffered a group I-II disability as a result of the war will be able to retain their right to affordable mortgage lending and continue to pay mortgage interest at 3% per annum,” said Yulia Laputina.

“The Ministry for Veterans Affairs is working on implementing a programme to compensate for preferential mortgages for war veterans who are currently defending Ukraine. It involves state support in the form of compensation of 7% per annum. The war veteran will pay the principal of the loan under the programme,” added Oleksandr Porkhun, First Deputy Minister for Veterans Affairs of Ukraine.

The next phase of the eOselia programme will be launched within a month. Starting from 1 August, the Ukrainian Financial Housing Company will begin accepting applications for affordable mortgages at 7% through the Diia portal.