IDPs need confirmation of the actual place of residence, – Restoring Donbas

11:42 / 19 Apr. 2017 / 506

Last week, President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko signed the law “On Amending Article 3 of the Law of Ukraine” On Freedom of Movement and Free Choice of Place of Residence in Ukraine “. According to the law, a certificate of registration of an internally displaced person is excluded from the list of documents with information of a person residence. Now IDPs are to take care themselves to prove their place of residence.

According to the experts of Alexander Klimenko’s initiative “Restoring Donbas”, this law actually agreed on legislative norms aimed at the right of free movement and free choice of residence for internally displaced persons. But, unfortunately, there is a downside to the coin.

Elena Petryaeva, head of the “Restoring Donbas” initiative, noted: “In Ukraine, whatever the freedom of movement and choice of residence, the institution of binding to the place of registration continues to operate when receiving social, medical or educational services. If an IDP can not confirm the actual address of residence, he may be refused to receive pensions and social benefits, the child will not be registered in a kindergarten or school, and medical services will be offered only on a paid basis. There is possibility to avoid such a situation by amending № 509 Resolution of Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine.   The second option for receiving the IDP certificate of a new sample is to get any document that confirms his address to the actual place of residence. To do this, IDP needs to formally conclude leases, register them with local authorities, etc”.

The law signed by the President excludes the address of residence of IDP. Thus, the norms of the law “On Freedom of Movement and Free Choice of Place of Residence in Ukraine” are consistent with the provisions of the Law on Ensuring the Rights and Freedoms of Internally Displaced Persons, which is special in the regulation of the legal status of internally displaced persons in Ukraine.

The law comes into force on the day after publication.

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