More than 20 draft laws (Nos. 15465–15484) have been registered in the Verkhovna Rada, aimed at strengthening the country’s preparedness for the autumn and winter period against the backdrop of the threat of attacks on the energy sector. The package provides for backup systems for infrastructure, regional reserves of resources, social safeguards for the population and tax incentives for the purchase of backup equipment.
Briefly about the main points
- It is proposed that critical infrastructure be provided with backup power and water supplies.
- Hospitals may be provided with systems to enable them to operate independently during prolonged power cuts.
- Regions are being advised to build up stocks of food, medicines and fuel.
- The initiatives include a winter moratorium on the disconnection of housing and communal services.
- Parliament can speed up the consideration of individual bills through procedural decisions.
Autonomy, reserves and social protection
Bill No. 15465 proposes to require critical infrastructure facilities to have backup power and water supply systems. A separate bill, No. 15480, concerns ensuring the autonomous operation of healthcare facilities during prolonged power cuts.
Drafts No. 15473 and No. 15474 provide for support CONDOMINIUMS in ensuring energy independence and establishing a national energy security reserve for local authorities. Initiative No. 15481 is intended to introduce compulsory crisis preparedness training for local authorities.
Draft No. 15476 provides for a moratorium on the disconnection of housing and utility services during the winter months. Documents No. 15469 and No. 15471 are aimed at protecting citizens from unjustified tariff increases and the consequences of rising fuel prices, whilst No. 15475 is aimed at providing special state assistance to families during the winter.
A state programme to supply the population with firewood is also proposed — this is set out in Bill No. 15472. Under Bill No. 15482, the regions are to build up reserves of food, medicines and fuel.
Concessions, support for local communities and processing times
Draft laws No. 15483 and No. 15484 contain amendments to the Tax and Customs Codes regarding tax relief on backup power sources. This applies, in particular, to generators, batteries and other equipment required for autonomous power supply.
Initiative No. 15478 is intended to simplify the procedures for local authorities to receive humanitarian aid in crisis situations, whilst No. 15479 aims to strengthen the protection of logistics infrastructure. Preparing communities will require local authorities to take on additional administrative and financial responsibilities; amendments to the Budget Code are essential for the implementation of these provisions.
To. heating season There are around 90 days remaining. Under the standard procedure, the main committee has up to 30 days to decide whether to include the bill on the agenda, whilst the budget and anti-corruption committees have up to 21 days.
The Rules of Procedure allow a bill to be designated as urgent, which halves the time limits for tabling amendments and preparing for consideration. Parliament may also, by a procedural decision, deviate from the standard time limits and, if no further amendments are required, adopt the bill immediately after the first reading.
Once a bill has been passed in its entirety, the Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada signs it within two to five days and forwards it to the President. The President has 15 days to sign the bill or return it with a veto.
