Committee Members deliberated on the Draft Resolution (Reg.No.1420), introduced by the People´s Deputies, A.Hrytsenko, O.Kuzmuk and M.Petruk.
Anatoliy Hrytsenko, Committee Chairman, stressed that the transition of Ukraine´s Armed Forces to Manning on a Contract Basis was included in electoral programmes of political forces.
Decisions taken in execution of electoral programmes have been approved by the Ministry of Defence.
A. Hrytsenko also said that the issues surrounding the manning of Ukraine´s Armed Forces, and other military units with contract-based personnel, and the full transition from a Draft to a Contract Manning System are very pressing. Such a transition, according to A. Hrytsenko, should enhance the readiness and combativity of the Armed Forces and other components of the State´s Military Organisations, and contribute to a higher level of professionalism among military staff.
Committee members consider it necessary to define the terms and conditions for a full transition to a Contract-based Army, and make amendments to the State Budget.
‘We would like hear from the Government and members of Parliamentary Factions and Non-governmental organisations at the Parliamentary Hearings´, said Anatoliy Hrytsenko.
For Reference (From Committee´s Materials prepared for consideration of this matter)
The matter of the transition of Ukraine´s Armed Forced to manning with Military personnel recruited on a contract basis, has been actively sought since 2001. On 7 April 2001, The President of Ukraine adopted ‘A Concept of Transition of Ukraine´s Armed Forces to Manning with Military Personnel recruited for Contract Service for a period until 2015´. Pursuant to the plans set out by The President of Ukraine, V.Yushchenko, the draft in Autumn 2009 has to be the last and by the end of 2010 the Armed Forces must have completed the transition to a contract basis.