On May 6, 2025, the Chairwoman of the Committee on Social Policy and Protection of Veterans’ Rights Halyna Tretiakova, took part in the Veterans’ Reintegration Conference, held at the initiative of the Ministry of Veterans Affairs of Ukraine, the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the National Bank of Ukraine, and Korn Ferry.
More than 250 representatives of government, business, the financial sector, and international partners (CEO, CEO-1 level) were invited to participate in the event.
During the conference, Halyna Tretiakova, the Chairwoman of the Committee on Social Policy and Protection of Veterans’ Rights, emphasized on the importance of adopting the Law of Ukraine «On Amendments to the Law of Ukraine ‘On the Principles of Domestic and Foreign Policy’ Regarding the Development of a Comprehensive Approach to Domestic Policy in the Veteran Sphere» No. 4285-IX of March 11, 2025, which outlines the fundamental principles and key priorities of veteran policy.
«I think, we adopted the Law of Veterans' Policy for the first time - a key achievement of the past year, in which we identified clear priorities. There are three of them. We understand that when we speak of strategy, it is not only about what we choose, but also about what we do thereafter,» noted Halyna Tretiakova
The first priority is the health of veterans. Over the past three years, Ukraine has built a rehabilitation sector from the ground up. In addition, a new area—habilitation—has begun to develop, focusing on social services that support individuals in living and working within society while taking into account existing mental or physical limitations.
The second priority is the economic independence and self-sufficiency of veterans. At the same time, as Halyna Tretiakova emphasized, it is essential to consider veterans’ aspirations to transition into new fields and acquire new professions, including entrepreneurship.
The introduction of opportunities to obtain partial and additional qualifications was also highlighted. A significant milestone in this area is the adoption of the Law of Ukraine "On Amendments to Certain Legislative Acts of Ukraine on Improving the National Qualifications System in Line with Current Labor Market Needs" No. 4353-IX of April 15, 2025 (draft law No. 9630). This legislation provides for the establishment of a Unified Qualifications Register—a classifier of occupations—and the modernization of professional standards to reflect contemporary professions.
The third priority is fostering a culture of respect for military personnel. Ms. Tretiakova underlined the importance of bridging the gap between civilian society and the military, including through public initiatives—such as the daily nationwide moment of silence observed at 9:00 a.m.
In the context of employment for persons with disabilities, the Chairperson reported on the signing of the Law of Ukraine «On Amendments to Certain Legislative Acts of Ukraine to Ensure the Right of Persons with Disabilities to Work,» dated January 15, 2025, No. 4219-IX (draft law No. 5344-d). This law envisions the establishment of sheltered employment enterprises where persons with first- and second-group disabilities will constitute no less than 50 percent of the average monthly workforce. Such enterprises may also be founded by civil society organizations.
During her address, the Chairwoman of the Committee on Social Policy and Protection of Veterans’ Rights, Halyna Tretiakova, shared her position on the idea of introducing quotas for veterans in public administration. While she expressed support for the involvement of veterans in governance processes, she firmly opposed the introduction of quotas for this category of citizens.
She explained that the aforementioned Law of Ukraine No. 4219-IX (draft law No. 5344-d) establishes a 4% employment quota for persons with disabilities, applicable to both the private and public sectors. Previously, this requirement applied solely to private businesses and proved to be ineffective. Now, the state, alongside the private sector, assumes responsibility for implementing this policy and is committed to creating adapted workplaces that accommodate functional limitations, starting from January 1, 2026.
With regard to veterans without disabilities, she emphasized that their rights should be exercised on equal terms with other citizens, and the focus should be on creating mechanisms that enable them to acquire the necessary competencies.
«Our role is to provide the opportunity to gain these competencies: to offer free courses, ensure access to education, and support exam preparation,» she stressed.
The Chairwoman also underlined that introducing specific quotas for various categories of citizens—including veterans, mothers of large families, or women—is ineffective and unjustified: «Enterprises should select candidates based on competence. And it is precisely this competence that we must help individuals to develop.»
In conclusion, the Chairwoman emphasized the importance of developing standards for reasonable workplace accommodation and establishing a state subsidy system to support employees who have experienced a loss of functionality, as the next step following the implementation of employment quotas for persons with disabilities. At the same time, she noted that the public administration system remains insufficiently modernized: «Veteran policy also means a veteran’s assistant—someone who facilitates access to administrative services tailored to the individual needs of each person requiring support.»
The event served as a key platform for discussing strategic approaches to reintegrating veterans into Ukraine’s economic and social life. It brought together representatives of government, business, international partners, financial institutions, and veterans’ organizations.