On April 25, 2024, Halyna Tretiakova, the Chairwoman of the Committee, together with Oleh Arseniuk, the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Social Protection of Citizens Affected by the Chornobyl Disaster, and Anatolii Ostapenko, the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Social Protection of Veterans' Rights, held a working meeting with Monika Navickienė, the Minister of Social Protection and Labor of the Republic of Lithuania. The distinguished foreign delegation also included the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Lithuania to Ukraine Valdemaras Sarapinas, the Minister-Counselor of the Embassy of the Republic of Lithuania in Ukraine and the advisors to the Minister.
The parties discussed in detail the development of state social policies in the Republic of Lithuania and Ukraine, found areas of professional activity of common interest, and exchanged views on the possibilities of further fruitful cooperation.
The Minister of Social Protection and Labor of the Republic of Lithuania, Ms. Monika Navickienė, said that this is not the first time she has been on a working visit to Ukraine since russia's large-scale military invasion of our country.
The purpose of this visit, according to Ms. Navickienė, is to discuss the reforms that Ukraine needs to implement in the process of European integration, as well as the technical assistance that the state needs and will be happy to provide, if possible. “You have already done a lot in terms of reforms. In some issues, you are even ahead of Lithuania. For example, in the issue of ratification of the Istanbul Convention,” said Ms. Navickienė. — “But there are issues in which we can help you. In particular, regarding family-type homes for foster children, as well as in the field of database management. We have a Statistics Agency that operates on the basis of up-to-date databases updated in real time. This allows us, for example, to more accurately predict the cost of certain expenses.”
In her turn, Halyna Tretiakova, the Chairwoman of the Committee, sincerely thanked Ms. Monika Navickienė for her visit and for the constant assistance of the Republic of Lithuania to the Ukrainian state, noting that now, when the third year of russia's war against Ukraine is underway, all social expenditures of our country are financed by international financial assistance and loans. At the same time, according to the head of the Committee, over the past 5 years, Ukraine has been implementing powerful reforms in the social sphere that were not carried out during the Soviet Union.
Halyna Tretiakova, the Head of the Committee, told her Lithuanian colleagues, in particular, about:
- successful transformation of healthcare financing in Ukraine (creation of the NHS of Ukraine, procurement of targeted medical services for people);
- reforming the system of institutional care and upbringing of children;
- development of the social services system (including targeted procurement of social services);
- creation of a rehabilitation industry and implementation of international standards ISO 9999 for technical and other rehabilitation aids (including enabling people to choose their own rehabilitation aids, which will be funded by the state);
- creation of multidisciplinary teams in the field of rehabilitation services and the formation of an individual rehabilitation plan;
- reform of the prosthetic industry (privatization of prosthetic plants);
- reform of the social insurance system (including improving the quality and speed of service to the population), highly noting the role of the Pension Fund of Ukraine in this process;
- digital development of the social sphere;
- creating conditions for personal development through the acquisition of in-demand and promising competencies and qualifications (creation of a modern qualification system; bringing the National Qualifications Framework in line with the European Qualifications Framework; classification of military professions and their civilian counterparts).
Ms. Tretiakova also focused on the state employment policy and creating opportunities for every Ukrainian (including those with disabilities and health) to become economically independent. They also discussed the issues of providing assistance to women with children in the labor market (including abroad) and the return of Ukrainians from abroad. “We need to bring people back,” expressed the state's desire Oleh Arseniuk, the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Social Protection of Citizens Affected by the Chornobyl Disaster, telling his Lithuanian colleagues about the change in the front line and the displacement of Ukrainians both inside and outside Ukraine. In turn, Anatolii Ostapenko, the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Social Protection of Veterans' Rights, thanked the Republic of Lithuania, represented by Monika Navickienė, for sheltering Ukrainian women with children who found safety and peace in her country. “The defenders are doing everything to win the victory as soon as possible,” Mr. Ostapenko said.
The Minister of Social Protection and Labor of the Republic of Lithuania, Ms. Monika Navickienė, expressed her hope for further cooperation with the Committee in the field of social policy development, assuring of further steady support of the Republic of Lithuania to Ukraine (in particular, in financial and humanitarian aid, creation of rehabilitation centers) in the process of reconstruction and development of our country. “There are many plans and desires that we can realize together,” Halyna Tretiakova, the Chairwoman of the Committee, supported her colleague's position.