Zelensky signs new law allowing local councils to be able to finance Defense Forces

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has signed a law expanding the powers of local self-government bodies to provide financial and material support to the security and defense sector during martial law or a state of emergency.

According to Ukrinform, the law was published on the parliament’s website.

The law regulates the issue of comprehensive support for the Armed Forces by local communities, excluding the purchase of weapons and ammunition, and also removes all inconsistencies in legislation regarding heads of communities who became chiefs of military administrations in populated areas.

The adopted law grants executive bodies of village, settlement, and city councils the authority to build, equip, and maintain engineering and fortification structures.

According to the document, local authorities may approve local budgets and make amendments to them, approve programs for socio-economic and cultural development, targeted programs on other local self-government issues, and transfer funds in the form of interbudgetary transfers to relevant local budgets in the event of temporary occupation of a territorial community and the absence of a military administration.

The law also provides for the possibility of appointing a village, settlement, or city mayor to the position of head of the corresponding military administration of a populated area (or areas) without dismissing them from their current position.

In addition, it allows civil servants and local self-government officials who are on unpaid leave, or in cases of downtime or suspension of an employment contract, to be appointed to positions in other state authorities, local self-government bodies, military administrations, and public legal entities.

The law also expands the organizational capabilities of the leadership of regional and district councils under martial law when the position of the council head is vacant.

As Ukrinform previously reported, on June 18, 2024, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine adopted in its second reading and in full the Law of Ukraine "On Amendments to Certain Laws of Ukraine Regarding the Expansion of the Powers of Local Self-Government Bodies to Support the Security and Defense Sector of Ukraine" (bill No. 9559-d) with 303 votes in favor.

Photo: Office of the President of Ukraine