Bill to End Prosecutors' Special Pensions Stalls for 200 Days Amid Public Outcry

Draft Law No. 12278 and Its Protracted Delay

According to Главком: A legislative proposal to abolish special pensions for prosecutors has been stalled in Ukraine's parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, for nearly 200 days, sparking frustration among lawmakers. The delay, according to MP Danilo Hetmantsev, head of the parliamentary committee on finance, tax, and customs policy and a member of the 'Servant of the People' party, is due to intense internal lobbying that has obstructed the bill's progress. This impasse highlights the challenges of reforming entrenched benefits within the state apparatus.

Comparing Prosecutor and Miner Pensions

Hetmantsev drew a stark comparison between pension amounts for prosecutors and miners. The average special pension for miners is approximately 8,000 hryvnias, raising serious questions about fairness within the pension system. He described as 'completely outrageous' a situation where a 29-year-old prosecutor can retire with payments of 156,000 hryvnias, especially against the backdrop of the national average pension of just 6,500 hryvnias.

Hetmantsev emphasized that this is an 'absolutely wild situation,' noting that prosecutors continue to receive these payments even while residing abroad.

During the pension discussion, Hetmantsev also referenced a separate initiative from the Ministry of Finance. This proposal would require individual entrepreneurs with an annual turnover exceeding 1 million hryvnias to register as VAT payers starting in 2027, an obligation tied to Ukraine's commitments with the International Monetary Fund. Meanwhile, the fate of the bill to cancel prosecutors' special pensions remains uncertain, keeping it a highly contentious political issue.

The prolonged delay of this legislation underscores the deep-seated inequities in Ukraine's pension system, which have provoked anger both in parliament and among the general public. Debates on this specific issue could potentially act as a catalyst for broader pension reforms, as fairness in state payouts remains a critical concern for Ukrainian citizens.

How this legislative battle unfolds is likely to significantly influence public opinion and the domestic political landscape.