Tymoshenko: Bill on basic social assistance will destroy Ukrainians' social guarantees

Bill No. 15094 threatens the abolition of social guarantees

The Batkivshchyna parliamentary faction announced its categorical position against the adoption of bill No. 15094, which introduces a mechanism for basic social assistance. According to the party leader Yulia Tymoshenko, this document effectively abolishes existing social protection for pensioners, persons with disabilities, children, and low-income families.

Lack of a clear calculation methodology

In her speech, Tymoshenko criticised the authorities' approach to determining the size of payments. She emphasised that instead of a guaranteed level of social security, the state is introducing an indicator for which no clear calculation methodology or procedure for setting amounts has been developed.

«Щоб відійти від того сорому, що і пенсіонерам, і працюючим людям платять нижче мінімального прожиткового рівня, практично вбиваючи їх, вони переходять на показник базової соціальної допомоги, який ніким не обрахований, методики немає, абсолютно немає порядку розрахунків. І тут написано, що будуть по залишковому принципу це визначати на базі залишків бюджету» (To get away from the shame that both pensioners and working people are paid below the minimum subsistence level, practically killing them, they are switching to the indicator of basic social assistance, which has not been calculated by anyone, there is no methodology, absolutely no order of calculations. And it is written here that they will determine this on a residual principle based on budget surpluses), – emphasised the leader of Batkivshchyna.

Gap between needs and actual payments

The politician drew attention to the significant difference between the actual needs of citizens and the actual sizes of social funds. In particular, she noted that the calculated subsistence minimum for pensions for 2027 is approximately 8,000 hryvnia, while the pensions of certain citizens remain at the level of 2,900 hryvnia. Tymoshenko also stressed that the minimum wage does not meet the actual needs of working people.

«Це не реформи. Я хочу, щоб зараз українці, які мене чують, зрозуміли, що коли вам говорять слово реформи, це означає вас вбивають. Тому що словом реформи прикривають сьогодні ліквідацію української нації, української держави» (These are not reforms. I want Ukrainians who are hearing me now to understand that when they tell you the word reforms, it means they are killing you. Because the word reforms is used today to cover up the liquidation of the Ukrainian nation, the Ukrainian state), – Yulia Tymoshenko was outraged.

Risk of discrimination and violation of the Constitution

In the opinion of the leader of Batkivshchyna, the situation is worsened by the fact that the new mechanism provides for determining the size of assistance based on available budgetary resources, rather than on the basis of clearly established social standards.

«Вони планують поділити людей, позбавити їх справедливості. Одним людям з інвалідністю будуть нараховувати виплати, іншим – ні. Одним родинам даватимуть кошти на дитину, іншим – ні. Як вони це зроблять? Дуже просто. Порахують, що одна родина отримує трошечки більше, ніж базовий рівень соціальної допомоги, і відмовить їй у виплатах» (They plan to divide people, deprive them of justice. Some people with disabilities will be granted payments, others – no. Some families will be given funds for a child, others – no. How will they do it? Very simply. They will calculate that one family receives a little more than the basic level of social assistance, and will refuse them payments), – explained Tymoshenko.

She also emphasised that the proposed approach must comply with the Constitution of Ukraine, in particular Article 22, which prohibits narrowing the content and scope of existing rights and freedoms when adopting new laws or making amendments to current ones.

Criticism of other bills

The leader of Batkivshchyna also criticised bills already adopted on the same day. In particular, she expressed dissatisfaction with document No. 10147 on the safety and health of workers at work, which, in her opinion, deprives people working in enterprises with hazardous working conditions of a number of rights to protect their life and health. In addition, Tymoshenko expressed criticism of bill No. 16011, which, according to her, squeezed in mega-corruption into the privatisation of strategic enterprises.

Previously, the Batkivshchyna faction voted against bill No. 14005 on simplifying the digitalisation of enforcement proceedings, considering it a crime against every Ukrainian, as it opens the possibility for private bailiffs to block bank accounts and property, as well as to deprive Ukrainians of their only housing for minimal debts.