The draft law concerning the President of Ukraine’s representative for the rights of servicemen is ready. This was announced in an interview with Radio Liberty by Olga Reshetilova, appointed to this position as a human rights defender.
This is reported by Kyiv24
“The draft law is ready, the task is accomplished. Because initially, we needed to write a text that would comply with the Constitution and allow this institution to be as effective as possible. And this led us into very serious discussions with the lawyers of the President’s Office, with the lawyers of public organizations, and with experts,” Reshetilova noted.
She emphasized that under martial law, creating an entirely independent body is nearly impossible, as it would require constitutional changes that cannot be adopted during wartime. Without constitutional status, it is impossible to grant this position sufficient powers.
Effectiveness of the New Institution
“Based on the realities we are working in and the experience I have gained over nearly three months, I believe that this institution will be most effective within the hierarchy of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief. Therefore, while developing this law, we proceeded from the understanding that we are essentially creating a supportive body for the Supreme Commander-in-Chief to ensure civilian democratic control, as stated in the national security law,” she added.
Reshetilova also explained that the representative cannot work within the structure of the Ministry of Defense, as this body must perform civilian control functions over the entire security sector. “This includes not only the Armed Forces but also the National Guard, the State Border Guard Service, the Security Service of Ukraine, the Foreign Intelligence Service, and many other structures where servicemen serve,” she noted.
Functions of the Representative
According to Reshetilova, the regulations regarding the representative outline the functions they will perform as an advisor to the president. Among these are monitoring, coordinating the activities of various government bodies, and preparing reports and recommendations for the president. She also emphasized that the representative will have expanded functions regarding the processing of complaints, which will help identify systemic issues.
“When you call or approach military commanders and introduce yourself as the president’s representative, the response is positive. Currently, there is a lack of staff for systematic action and algorithms. For example, in the law, we outlined how responses to complaints will occur, how they will be processed, how their acceptability will be determined, and what will happen after verification,” she stated.
Olga Reshetilova added that she is currently working alone, as there is no staff. “I am assisted by people who offered their help in the first days. However, unfortunately, there is no staff of people who can attend meetings or visit the troops on my behalf,” she said.
It is worth noting that on January 1, Reshetilova stated that after her appointment, she received a large number of complaints that need to be addressed. President Zelensky signed a decree on December 30 appointing her as the representative for the protection of the rights of servicemen and their families, and tasked her with preparing the draft law on the military ombudsman.