In Lviv, a new comprehensive program was developed to support war veterans, relatives of the families of fallen (deceased) defenders of Ukraine, in order to help and support them as much as possible.
This included many different areas: material payments, social and psychological assistance, medical treatment and rehabilitation, financial vouchers for business development, assistance in employment and training, rest and leisure, etc. Today, the session approved this program, and more than 480 million hryvnias will be allocated for its implementation next year.
All structural divisions of the city council and deputy factions worked on the program, taking into account the new realities. About 80% of the measures of this program are already in place and are being used by defenders and veterans. The program is planned until 2026.
“The program includes 9 important areas, more than 60 support measures for all categories of war veterans, defenders, and their families. These are financial and legal support, health, social support, leisure, employment – very simple and important things. The document is not perfect, like every program, but we are ready to work out changes together with the respective environments and improve it.
I want to thank all members of the working group, we worked for almost four months, and during this time a lot of work has already been done.
From what is already in effect, for example, one-time annual aid for treatment and education of children of the dead and soldiers with disabilities of the 1st group is 50,000 hryvnias per year. Also, this is the improvement of the nutrition of our soldiers in the NEZLAMNI rehabilitation center, and almost 15 million hryvnias are planned for the next year. We also bought a lot of veteran literature written by our writers and poets, and one of them was even quoted by the Prime Minister of Italy at a meeting with the President.
We also introduced social support for veterans, and developed a booklet with all contacts and information on how the city helps veterans, and this booklet will be in all our social support institutions, hospitals and polyclinics – so that everyone can use it,” said Iryna Kulinych, deputy of the mayor of Lviv on humanitarian issues.
Also, Iryna Kulinych emphasized that the priority of the budget for 2024 is the support of the Armed Forces, and 1 billion hryvnias are earmarked for this. And 480 million hryvnias have already been earmarked for all measures included in this program, which was voted at the session today, and this amount will increase as needed.
The day before, a discussion of this program took place in the city hall, to which representatives of public and veteran organizations, military personnel, volunteers and combat medics were invited.
It should be noted that before the start of the full-scale invasion, about 7,000 war participants (ATO/OOS) lived in Lviv, now the number of our soldiers is many times greater. The Lviv City Council is doing everything to help them as much as possible. These include material support, benefits, treatment, prosthetics and rehabilitation, psychological and legal consultations, adaptation to civilian life – through excursions, art and other activities, support for veteran businesses and various social assistance programs.