Ukraine's conscription bill faces over 3,000 amendments as lawmakers debate key changes: when will Parliament
The highly debated conscription bill’s fate was revealed to NV by Mykhailo Tsymbalyuk, First Deputy Chairman of Ukraine’s Parliamentary Committee on Social Policy and Protection of Veterans' Rights.
MPs submitted around 3,000 amendments to the bill for the government's consideration in the second reading, with Tsymbalyuk contributing over 20 of them.
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His amendments focused on securing deferrals for specific groups, such as individuals with disabilities, their caretakers, teachers in higher educational institutions without a degree or academic title, and postgraduate students across all fields of study.
Tsymbalyuk also proposed to change the government's version of the clause on conscript demobilization, pushing for a one-year delay instead of two months. He anticipates a separate law resolving this issue in the coming days.
"In the next few days, we will vote for [the conscript demobilization bill], rather than the mobilization law," Tsymbalyuk said.
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He submitted an amendment for the faster demobilization of military personnel who served 12 months at the frontlines, having a total service length of 18 months, contrary to the government's proposal of 36 months.
Tsymbalyuk criticized the mandatory nature of the "electronic portal" for conscripts, deeming it imperfect.
He opposed the government's proposition to provide consular assistance abroad only to draftees, conscripts, and reservists with military registration documents. The Ukrainian Constitution says the state must protect its citizens, wherever they are, he said.
"We need to look for other ways for citizens to receive consular assistance, and to return those who have illegally left the country,” he said.
“What is being proposed is not the best option."
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Tsymbalyuk highlighted the urgency of addressing these amendments, with the Parliamentary Committee on National Security and Defense expected to consider them quickly, possibly by March 4-5. The vote on the bill's second reading is anticipated by March 10.
Ukraine’s government registered a new version of the conscription bill in the Parliament on Jan. 30. It proposes, among other things, to introduce draft notices through the conscript's electronic office. Other innovations include lowering the conscription age to 25, setting the demobilization period at 36 months, introducing voluntary mobilization for convicts, restrictions on evaders, and banning civil service without military training.
Deputy Head of the Parliamentary Defense Committee Yehor Chernev said that they still had questions about the bill, but that the second version, according to him, was more workable.
MPs supported the bill in the first reading on Feb. 7. It will be amended before the second reading.
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