Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has signed a number of laws related to martial law.
A relevant statement was published on the website of Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.
Law on amendments to the Tax Code of Ukraine and other legislative acts of Ukraine on norms to be applied for the period of martial law No. 2120-ІХ (registration No. 7137-d).
The law defines the specifics of administering taxes and fees during the martial law regime imposed by President’s Decree No. 64/2022, implementing the required measures to support military and law enforcement units in repelling the armed attack of the Russian Federation and ensuring the rights and responsibilities of taxpayers.
Law to approve the Decree of the President of Ukraine “On the extension of martial law in Ukraine” No. 2119-IX (registration No. 7168).
The Law extends martial law in Ukraine for 30 days from 05:30 on 26 March 2022.
Law on amendments to the final provisions of the Law of Ukraine “On the Military Chaplaincy Service” on the effective date No. 2131-IX (registration No. 7130).
The law will accelerate the establishment of the Military Chaplaincy Service and provide the legislative basis to determine the status of military chaplains as servicemen. It will set forth organizational and legal provisions regarding interaction of military formations and religious organizations while ensuring the operation of the military chaplaincy institute.
Law on amendments to certain laws of Ukraine on state guarantees in the context of martial law, emergency or state of emergency No. 2126-IX (registration No. 7133).
The law sets forth state guarantees for students, employees of educational institutions or establishments, research institutions as well as their implementation to ensure maximum assistance in creating a safe educational environment, arranging the education services and organizing the educational process in the format safest for human life and health in the context of martial law, emergency or state of emergency.
Law on amendments to the Law of Ukraine “On ensuring the rights and freedoms of citizens and the legal regime in the temporarily occupied territory of Ukraine” in connection with the military aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine No. 2138-IX (registration No. 7157).
The law stipulates that the decisions on declaring any territories temporarily occupied will be made by the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, enacted by decrees of the President of Ukraine, which will allow responding promptly to any changes in the military situation in the country.
Law on amendments to the Law of Ukraine “On the Status of War Veterans and Guarantees of Their Social Protection” to clarify the provisions regulating definition of the categories of persons recognized as war veterans and family members of deceased defenders of Ukraine No. 2121-IX (registration No. 7151).
The law expands the range of persons classified as combatants and persons with disabilities acquired as a result of war, supplementing them with:
· volunteers of the Territorial Defense Battalions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine;
· persons who joined a voluntary formation of a territorial community and persons who joined a public formation to protect public order and the state border in line with the Law of Ukraine "On Participation of Citizens in the Protection of Public Order and the State Border";
· persons who were involved in any measures necessary to ensure the defense of Ukraine, protection of public safety and the state interests associated with the military aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine.
Law on amendments to certain legislative acts of Ukraine on persons with disabilities No. 2122-IX (registration No. 7140-1).
The law simplifies the exemption from military service of persons with category I and category II disabilities and caregivers of such persons with disabilities and sick children.
Law of Ukraine on amendments to the Criminal Code of Ukraine and other laws of Ukraine to determine the circumstances excluding criminal unlawfulness of an act and grant combat immunity under the martial law No. 2124-IX (registration No. 7145).
The law sets forth legal protection of the military command, servicemen, volunteers of the Territorial Defense Battalions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, law enforcement officers who are engaged in the defense of Ukraine, persons defined by the Law of Ukraine “On Participation of Civilians in the Defense of Ukraine” by enshrining the concept of “combat immunity” in the general part of the Criminal Code to exempt from criminal liability for:
· loss of personnel, military equipment or other military property,
· consequences of the use of armed or other force in repelling the armed aggression against Ukraine or eliminating the armed conflict,
· performing any other tasks for the defense of Ukraine using any type of arms (weapons), the occurrence of which with all reasonable caution could not be foreseen when planning and implementing such actions (tasks) or which fall under the justified risk, except in cases of violation of laws and customs of war or use of the armed forces defined by international treaties, the binding nature of which has been approved by Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.
Law on amendments to clause 4-1 of section VI “Final and Transitional Provisions” of the Budget Code of Ukraine No. 2127-IX (registration No. 6384).
The law provides for the redistribution of expenditures between lower-level budget administrators in the system of the State Judicial Administration of Ukraine within the total amount of budget allocations for the relevant budget program separately for general and special funds of the state budget by the State Judicial Administration of Ukraine.
Law on amendments to certain legislative acts of Ukraine on environmental activities and civil protection for the period of martial law No. 2132-IX (registration No. 7144).
The law defines additional tasks for the unified state civil protection system in the reconstruction period after the end of hostilities:
· powers of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, in particular to approve the annual plan of the key measures aimed at civil protection of Ukraine, including measures in the reconstruction period after the end of hostilities, are clarified;
· content and terms of implementing restoration activities to eliminate the consequences of hostilities during the martial law are determined;
· powers of military administrations of settlements in the relevant territory are proposed to include “granting permits for the use of subsoil (except oil and gas) in accordance with the list and procedure approved by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine to ensure the defense capability of the state, for a period of not more than one year”; it is stipulated that during the martial law and in the reconstruction period after the end of hostilities restorative activities to eliminate the consequences of armed aggression and hostilities are not subject to environmental impact assessment.
Law on amendments to section VI “Final and Transitional Provisions” of the Budget Code of Ukraine and other legislative acts of Ukraine No. 2134-IX (registration No. 7166).
The law defines certain specifics of regulating budgetary relations under martial law or to implement general mobilization measures in line with the law.
Law on amendments to the Law of Ukraine “On the State Budget of Ukraine for 2022” No. 2135-IX (registration No. 7167).
The law increases funding for the State Budget of Ukraine at the expense of external borrowings, namely official credit support to improve the defense capability of the Armed Forces of Ukraine provided by the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and approves additional expenditures of a special fund of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine to finance the budget program “Development, Procurement, Modernization, and Repair of Weapons, Military Hardware, Assets, and Equipment”.