MPs Claim Compensation for Unused Vacation Days
In January and February 2026, Ukrainian Members of Parliament declared significant financial compensation for days of their annual paid leave they did not use. These payments were authorized under a new law passed in December 2025, which allowed MPs to be compensated for vacation time they were unable to take during the period of martial law. This situation highlights the unique pressures on Ukraine's legislature during the ongoing war.
Among the parliamentarians who received compensation were:
- Yuriy Kisiel - 403.9 thousand UAH in February 2026, receiving 311 thousand UAH after taxes.
- Andriy Klochko - 547.8 thousand UAH. In October 2024, NABU and SAP referred a case against Klochko to court, accusing him of illicit enrichment exceeding 11 million UAH.
- Oleksandr Feldman - 429.5 thousand UAH in compensation.
- Valeriy Bozhyk - 527.7 thousand UAH.
- Volodymyr Kozak - 380 thousand UAH.
- Mykhailo Papiev - 487.6 thousand UAH.
- Mykola Skoryk - 395 thousand UAH.
- Dmytro Isaienko - 443.4 thousand UAH.
- Volodymyr Kreidenko - 324.1 thousand UAH after paying 96.8 thousand UAH in taxes.
- Andriy Osadchuk - 413.9 thousand UAH.
- Ihor Negulevskyi - 400 thousand UAH. In December 2025, he was served with a notice of suspicion in a bribery case related to his parliamentary voting.
- Oleksandr Horobets, Serhiy Koleboshyn, and Serhiy Shtepa - each received 400 thousand UAH in compensation.
- Yuriy Koriavchenkov - 371.1 thousand UAH.
- Olena Kryvoruchkina - 433.7 thousand UAH.
- Viktoriya Hryb - 497 thousand UAH for 261 days of unused leave, receiving 382.7 thousand UAH after personal income tax and military levy deductions.
Since the full-scale invasion, national deputies have been entitled to 30 days of paid leave. However, with the war's onset, the Verkhovna Rada shifted to a schedule of one plenary session, commencing on the first Tuesday of February or September. On February 3, 2026, the Rada closed its 14th session and immediately opened the 15th.
Controversy Surrounding the Payouts
The issue of these compensation payments has generated considerable discussion among lawmakers. Oleg Syniutka, a representative of the 'European Solidarity' faction, remarked:
"From a legal standpoint, a question arose for a national deputy regarding the absence of leave during martial law."
- Oleg Syniutka
While the new law in December 2025 resolved this legal question, moral and political concerns persist, especially as the state budget will only make these payments following a formal request from an individual MP.
Compensation for unused vacation time has become a significant topic within the context of the Verkhovna Rada's operations under martial law, during which deputies had limited leave rights. The adoption of the new law was a response to these challenges, yet questions about the morality and political appropriateness of such payments continue to fuel debate. Observing the ongoing developments around these compensations will provide further insight into how society and the deputies themselves view this situation.