On April 29, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine adopted Draft Law No. 13478-1 in principle, which restores a transparent system for selecting personnel for state bodies and local self-government bodies.
Key provisions of the draft law:
- End of the “simplified recruitment procedure”: the temporary appointment procedure introduced at the start of the full-scale invasion is being abolished. Between September and November 2026, competitive selection processes must be held for positions currently held by individuals who were appointed without such a process. An exception is retained only for frontline and temporarily occupied territories;
- “social mobility for veterans”: the bill establishes a priority right to appointment for veterans. Provided they have equal professional competence with other candidates, preference will be given to individuals with war veteran status;
- Meritocracy and development: a candidate reserve system is introduced, along with the possibility of rapid promotion to higher positions for employees who receive an “excellent” rating based on their annual performance;
- Increased accountability: a clear provision is established for the dismissal of an employee if they receive two consecutive negative performance ratings.
The adoption of the bill is a strategic step toward Ukraine’s European integration: the resumption of tenders is a direct requirement of the Plan for Ukraine Facility (which provides access to EU financial assistance) and a mandatory indicator of the Roadmap for Public Administration Reform.