Public activists have expressed dissatisfaction with the government’s plans to reduce spending on veteran policy in 2025 and are calling on Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal to publicly explain the Cabinet’s position.
According to the budget declaration for 2025-2027, approved by the Cabinet on June 28, there is a significant reduction in funding for veteran policy from 13.5 billion hryvnias in 2024 to 5.7 billion hryvnias in 2025.
«Every year, thousands of new participants of the Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO) join the ranks of veterans, and after the conflict ends, this number will be even higher, but the funding is decreasing. Where is the logic in this? Currently, the Road Fund is being restored, but where is the support for veterans?» emphasized Vitaliy Hersak, head of the NGO «Free and Faithful» and ATO veteran.
The declaration also indicates that key veteran support programs, such as guaranteed state loans for housing and benefits for veteran-owned businesses, will not be implemented in the next three years. Public activists are demanding clarification from the Prime Minister regarding specific expenditure items that are planned to be cut and the initiators of these measures.
«We demand that the Cabinet align its position with the actual needs of our veterans. Currently, this is preparation for negotiations, but if the situation does not change, we will take decisive actions of people power,» added V. Hersak.
