ATO is not a legitimate reason for the suspension of pension payments – Ombudsman

11:47 / 21 Jan. 2017 / 537

The anti-terroristic operation is not a valid ground for the suspension of payment for citizens of Ukraine stated by Valeria Lutkovska, the Commissioner for Human Rights in Verhovna Rada.

The Government of Ukraine stopped paying social benefits to the residents of Donbas living on temporary non-government controlled territories from 07 November, 2015.

“We stopped paying pensions entirely illegally. The fact of conducting ATO was not the argument for such a decision, – Lutkovska said.

“I never believed, and took the idea that a pensioner getting his 1,800-1,200 UAH as a pension would finance terrorism with a great sarcasm!  As well as a single mother receiving social benefits would give her money to terrorists. Still the point of coal purchasing from uncontrolled territory in Luhansk region is the issue for serious research, – Valiria Lutkovska shared her opinion.

According to Lutkovska Ukrainian state is obliged to pay all social benefits and pensions. If there is no mechanism to pay, it is the problem of the state, not of pensioners who could not leave the uncontrolled territories.

The Deputy Minister of Temporary Occupied Territories and IDPs stated that Ukraine to be accused in genocide in case of the blockade of Donbas.

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