Ukrainian Ministry for Occupied Territories not working due to lack of funds

The Ministry of Ukraine for Occupied Territories and Internally Displaced Persons is not fulfilling its function due to understaffing and lack of funding.

Deputy Minister Yousuf Kurkchi said this at a press conference within the framework of the International Refugee Day festival on Monday, Interfax-Ukraine news agency reports.

“Unfortunately, we cannot start to immediately perform the tasks and solve problems due to understaffing in the Ministry. In addition, the budget has not been approved yet,” Kurkchi said.

However, he expressed confidence that all these issues would be resolved in the near future.

“I hope that we will soon start to recruit and train the staff, and the employees will take up their duties, which will greatly facilitate the lives of people in need,” Kurkchi said.

March 20, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine established the Ministry of Ukraine for Occupied Territories and Internally Displaced Persons. According to the decree, 105 people shall work in the Ministry.

Vadym Chernysh was appointed as the minister. Heorhiy Tuka, the former head of the Luhansk Regional Military-Civil Administration, was appointed as the deputy minister.

Kurkchi was appointed as the first deputy minister on May 18 this year. Previously, he served as the head of the department to ensure the activities of the Presidential Commissioner for the Crimean Tatar People.

June 15, Tuka said that the minister and his deputies were still not paid salaries and compensations for office expenses and the staff was working on a voluntary basis. At the same time he described the simplification of state registration of displaced persons as the greatest achievement of the Ministry.