Deputies propose to allow sailors to leave Ukraine during wartime
The Verkhovna Rada registered the bill №7461 "On Amendments to Certain Legislative Acts (Concerning Temporary Departure of Ukrainian Sailors Abroad during the Martial Law in Ukraine)".
The draft law proposes to supplement Article 23 of the Law of Ukraine "On Mobilization Training and Mobilization", which provides for exclusion from conscription during mobilization by certain conscripts, the following paragraph: "sailors (captain, other crew members, ship crew members), who have valid Specialist Certificates issued in accordance with the Merchant Shipping Code of Ukraine, and current employment agreements (contracts) ".
The explanatory note to the bill reminds that in 2021 Ukraine ranked sixth in the world in the number of working seafarers (4.04%). Due to the ban on leaving Ukraine, Ukrainian sailors may soon lose their position in the international market. According to experts, Ukrainian sailors bring $ 3-4 billion annually to the country.
Due to sanctions against Russian ports, terminals and ships, experts expect a significant reduction in the number of Russian sailors working on foreign ships. It is expedient for Ukrainian sailors to fill the vacancies if they will be able to go abroad during martial law, ”the explanatory note reads.
According to the Decree of the President of Ukraine №64 / 2022, martial law has been declared in Ukraine since February 24, 2022 due to the Russian military invasion. In May, martial law was extended until August 23.