Cabinet approves changes to reservation, but postpones quota reduction - sources

The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine on the evening of October 13 adopted a resolution on amendments to the rules for reservation of those liable for military service. At the same time, the government did not finally approve the proposed reduction of quotas for critical enterprises, postponing this issue for five days.

The government's decision was reported by People's Deputy Yaroslav Zheleznyak. The information was also confirmed by sources of Forbes Ukraine and RBC-Ukraine in the Cabinet of Ministers.

According to Zheleznyak, the resolution "On certain issues of organizing the reservation of those liable for military service for the period of mobilization and wartime" was adopted with a one-day refinement, and the provisions on reservation percentages - with a five-day one.

Thus, the previously proposed reduction of reservation quotas has not yet become a final government decision.

According to Forbes Ukraine, the preliminary draft envisaged reducing the possibility of reservation of employees of the defense-industrial complex and the energy sector from 100% to 85%. For heat supply enterprises, water utilities and the household waste management sector, the limit was proposed to be reduced from 75% to 60%.

However, these proposals met objections from relevant agencies and business representatives. According to a source of RBC-Ukraine in the government, the issue proved too sensitive, so it was decided to take additional time to agree on the final percentages.

At the same time, the Cabinet agreed to create a Coordination Center for reservation issues, leaving one day for refinement of the relevant provisions. It should include representatives of the SBU, the Main Intelligence Directorate, the Foreign Intelligence Service, the National Police and representatives of the humanitarian block.

Another important change concerns the procedure for calculating the standard 50% reservation quota.

The previous version of the document envisaged excluding from the total number of those liable for military service employees who already have a deferment from mobilization on other grounds. This included, in particular, students, persons providing care, and parents with many children.

Such an innovation could actually reduce the number of employees that an enterprise has the right to reserve, even with the formal preservation of the limit at the level of 50%.

However, according to Zheleznyak and sources of RBC-Ukraine, the government abandoned this proposal. Therefore, when calculating the quota, those liable for military service who have a deferment on other grounds will continue to be taken into account.

As a reminder, earlier "Course of Ukraine" reported on the government's preparation of a large-scale review of reservation rules. Representatives of the defense industry and the European Business Association opposed the reduction of quotas. They warned about the risks of losing qualified workers, reducing production capacity and disrupting contract execution.

The final parameters of the new reservation procedure should be determined after the resolution is refined. Until the agreed text of the document is published, the proposed new quotas cannot be considered effective.

Based on materials from: Yaroslav Zheleznyak, Forbes Ukraine, RBC-Ukraine (Iryna Hamerska, Rostyslav Shapravskyi)