At a briefing, Solomiya Bobrovska, a member of the Committee of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine on national security, defense, and intelligence, spoke about the evasion schemes involving people's deputies while commenting on the decision regarding changes to the rules for artists and media workers traveling abroad during martial law.
She noted that the changes initiated by the Ministry of Culture and Strategic Communications are logical to prevent the illegal departure of men of conscription age abroad during the full-scale invasion. According to her, it will become more difficult to travel.
"If the number of those who leave and do not return exceeds 30-40%, then this is a logical decision. Otherwise, it becomes a corrupt element that benefits evaders," emphasized Bobrovska.
She stated that she does not have information on who most frequently fails to return to Ukraine after receiving permission to leave. Bobrovska added that various evasion schemes are not only present in the cultural sector.
"For the deputies, it was a matter of drivers. I learned for the first time that we can have drivers who can travel with us abroad. Great, now I will know. As it turned out, my colleagues were taking dozens of those people out," Bobrovska recounted.
According to her, these men of conscription age did not return to Ukraine afterward. However, the deputy did not name the colleagues involved in the "evasion scheme."
Changes to Border Crossing Rules: What is Known
As reported by UNIAN, in order to prevent the misuse of permits from the Ministry of Culture and Strategic Communications for illegal departure abroad during the full-scale invasion, the agency needs to coordinate changes to border crossing rules.
The ministry's press service noted that the rules for the departure of artists and media workers abroad during martial law need to be changed to prevent abuses.
It was noted that due to gaps in national legislation, there have been numerous cases where individuals who received permission from the State Border Guard Service for temporary departure abroad based on a letter of support from the ministry did not return to Ukraine within the specified timeframe.
The Ministry of Culture has developed a draft amendment to the resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, which will regulate the issue of comprehensive requirements for the ministry's decision to provide a letter of support to men of conscription age working in the fields of culture, information security, strategic communications, and linear audiovisual media for their temporary departure abroad during martial law.
Therefore, from March 3, 2025, and until the legal regulation of this issue, the ministry will suspend the issuance of letters for the specified category of persons to leave Ukraine.