Ukrainian IT firms warn proposed mobilization bill poses risks to industry if not revised
The IT Ukraine Association, Lviv IT Cluster and Kharkiv IT Cluster called on the government to discuss with the IT community the risks and consequences for the IT industry of the new bill on mobilization. At the same time, the organizations emphasized the support of the "strive for justice".
The organizations claim that the text of bill No. 10449 "actually duplicates" the previous draft law No. 10378 and "does not solve urgent issues in any way", creating tension between the business environment, society and state institutions.
The risks remaining in the draft law are critical for the IT industry:
- review by the Cabinet of Ministers of the Procedure for the reservation of conscripts within a month from the date of publication of this Law;
– the duty of citizens to register the electronic account of conscripts and reservists;
– receipt of summonses through such an electronic account;
– restriction of persons staying abroad in obtaining consular services in the absence of military registration documents.
"Unreasonably short deadlines for clarifying the registration data of all conscripts in Ukraine, including reserved ones" are mentioned, as well as the deferral of mobilization for persons who receive a second higher education, which is excluded.
"For many IT specialists, specialized education is not their first higher education. At the same time, it is extremely illogical to exclude post-graduate students studying on a contract basis from the list of persons entitled to deferment, which undermines the scientific potential of the state. Re-examination of all persons recognized as partially fit for military service and who received the status of group II and III disabled persons by the end of this year," the statement reads.
The IT community urges the authorities to find a balance between the volume of mobilization and the ability to support the economy of Ukraine at the proper level and not to adopt bill No. 10449 in its current version.
The largest IT communities of Ukraine, in particular the IT Ukraine Association, Lviv IT Cluster, Kharkiv IT Cluster, call to stop consideration of the new government draft law No. 10449 on mobilization and send it for revision taking into account the positions of the public and businesses in order to preserve the economic stability of the country.
"The adoption of draft law No. 10449 in its current form is unacceptable and poses a threat to the further work of the IT industry in Ukraine, due to contradictions in its provisions, a high level of inherent corruption risks and an imbalance of the powers of competent authorities," the statement reads.
The organizations also highlighted provisions on the electronic delivery of summonses and restrictions on access to consular services, accounts and conducting business activities by sole proprietors abroad. Communities refer to the fact that for the first time in the years of Ukraine's independence, the IT industry did not show growth compared to last year. For the past year 2023, the export revenue of IT services decreased by 8.5%, which in monetary terms amounted to $6.7 billion.
The Verkhovna Rada supported the government draft law on mobilization in the first reading on Wednesday.
On January 30, the government registered the new mobilization bill in the Rada.
In the new version of the draft law, the Cabinet of Ministers proposed three punishments for draft dodgers: seizure of accounts, deprivation of driver's licenses, ban on traveling abroad.
