Zelensky signs decree to liquidate medical examination commissions amid corruption scandal

President Volodymyr Zelensky on Oct. 22 issued a decree to liquidate medical examination commissions for determining the severity of disabilities by Dec. 31.

The decree was released after a meeting of the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC), which on Oct. 22 discussed violations at medical examination commissions and the fraudulent acquisition of disability status by officials through corruption schemes.

Obtaining disability status through medical examination commissions allows evading military service and receiving a higher pension, among other social benefits.

According to the decree, working groups will be set up to verify certificates of disability issued by medical examination commissions within three months. If any violations are found, the certificates must be annulled.

Starting from Oct. 22, pension payments for officials with disabilities should be inspected within one week. In a month, a new bill will be drafted to change the system of calculating pension payments to officials, the decree read.

A plan to digitalize all stages of the medical examination commission should also be developed within two weeks. Meanwhile, the procedure for former officials with disabilities crossing the state border will be reviewed within a month.

Following the NSDC meeting, Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) head Vasyl Maliuk said that the SBU had exposed corruption schemes at medical examination commissions in 2024, resulting in the cancellation of 4,106 fake disability status certificates.

Maliuk added that 64 officials at medical examination commissions have been charged with committing crimes, while another nine suspects have been convicted.

Corruption schemes at medical examination commissions linked to draft evasion have been reported in Rivne, Mykolaiv, Khmelnytskyi, and Kharkiv oblasts.

Ukraine's Prosecutor General Andriy Kostin submitted his resignation on Oct. 22 following the reports of prosecutors illegally obtaining disability status.

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The Kyiv IndependentAndrea Januta

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