The Verkhovna Rada registered a draft law that is to simplify the import and registration of cars from foreign donors in Ukraine as humanitarian aid. The bill No. 8130 “On amendments to some Laws of Ukraine bringing the law on humanitarian assistance in line with modern conditions and new social challenges” was developed by the MPs from UKROP Taras Batenko, Oleksandr Dubinin, Iryna Konstankevych, Vitaliy Kupriy, Valentyn Didych, Oleksandr Shevchenko and Viktor Shevchenko in cooperation with public activists and representatives of different factions of parliament.
“The bill should change the Ukrainian legislation in the field of humanitarian assistance according to the needs of organizations and citizens. It will allow the import of free vehicles to Ukraine from the international donors,” say the representatives of the “Ukrainian Association of Patriots”.
The document proposes to exempt humanitarian aid in the form of ambulances and cars for orphanages from restrictions on European environmental standards. It is also to unblock the importation of free emergency rescue cars for fire stations and emergency services cars from foreign patrons to Ukraine.
According to the authors of the bill, such cars in Ukraine are now produced only by one enterprise. However, the quality and price of domestic cars does not stand up to criticism. For example, in the ATO area 20 out of 50 ambulances “Bogdan-2251” need repair, failing to have driven 10 thousand kilometers.
Instead, quality cars from foreign patrons are standing idle in customs because of the Ukrainian bureaucracy. The use of such cars is prohibited because of impossibility to obtain the necessary documents.
“There are many examples when rescue cars have been standing idle for several years, but they cannot be exploited. Equipment from foreign donors is also often used as intended without customs clearance and registration,” says the explanatory note to the bill.
In addition, the legislative initiative proposes to remove the age restriction for the import of cars for persons with disabilities. At present, such categories of citizens can register in Ukraine a car that is not more than eight years old. The draft law also gives the right to humanitarian assistance in the form of vehicles to orphanages and foster families, bringing up five or more children.
“It will help to upgrade the car fleet of emergency vehicles, and will give the opportunity to orphanages to get so much-needed buses and to support the most vulnerable populations,” said one of the authors of the bill, co-founder of Public Union “Affordable Cars”, UKROP member Mykhailo Katruk on his Facebook page.
At the same time, he noted that the bill should remove artificial restrictions created by domestic automobile lobby.
“EU countries have no restrictions on the import of used cars according to the environmental values. At the same time, they were introduced in Ukraine in order to protect the so-called domestic producer. This leads to a paradox when Ukrainian organizations cannot even get free new vehicles which do not comply with Euro 5 environmental standards,” stress the UKROP members.
Earlier, the USA, Canada and several Scandinavian countries have expressed their readiness to transfer free-of-charge automotive equipment in a good condition to Ukraine. However, the communities cannot get donor equipment due to artificial restrictions.
