Kyiv, March 16, 2015. Ukrainian authorities have to reform the entire defence sector of the country in order to get more military aid from NATO. Corruption practices must be completely eradicated from the military procurement system. Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze, MP and Head of the Permanent delegation of Verkhovna Rada to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, and other parliamentary delegates – Viktor Chumak, Andriy Teteruk and Serhiy Vysotsky – made this statement during the press-briefing at Ukraine Crisis Media Center, while talking about the results of their visit to NATO HQ. “Once we launch comprehensive reforms of the military industrial complex, we will get more opportunities to get aid,” Ms. Klympush-Tsintsadze said.
Members of the Permanent Delegation told about new ways of collaboration between Ukraine and NATO members-states. The latter have invested considerable sums to establish five trust funds that would tackle crucial aspects of Ukrainian security: logistics modernization, cyber-security, medical treatment and rehabilitation of war veterans, and social re-integration of soldiers. “Our soldiers would be able to get modern prostheses from these funds. We also need to develop a comprehensive rehabilitation program to avoid similar mistakes that the U.S. military encountered after the Vietnam War,” Mr. Teteruk said.
The Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Finance work in collaboration with Vekhovna Rada to make necessary legal amendments that would enable the creation of trust funds. NATO experts also pointed out that there are still some problems that should be addressed; for instance, tax levies from the military aid should be removed. MPs suggested to create a new body that would coordinate work of executive and legislative branches with the military bloc on this issue.