Requirement to deposit budget funds with the court when prosecutors seek to return forests or coastal areas (amendment #899)

Tags:

In spring 2025, despite warnings from civil society organizations and experts, the Verkhovna Rada supported the so-called “Ihor Mazepa law” (draft law #12089), which in effect legalized land grabs that had taken place during the Yanukovych era and earlier. Under this law, if less than 10 years had passed since the illegal transfer of land, the state or municipal councils could still defend their property in court, but under one condition: budget funds equal to the market value of the property had to be deposited with the court.

Later, the European Parliament highlighted the risks of this law, stating that it effectively legalizes assets stolen from the state. The Supreme Court also appealed to the Constitutional Court, noting that, in the opinion of the Plenum, the law contains provisions that violate the Constitution.

The Cabinet of Ministers, acknowledging the lack of sufficient funds in the state budget, decided to postpone the implementation of the law through provisions in the 2026 state budget. This was a political move aimed at blocking the effect of the “Ihor Mazepa law.” However, the leader of the “Servant of the People” faction, Davyd Arakhamia, together with two MPs associated with the “Kolomoisky group”—Ihor Frís (“Servant of the People”) and Taras Batenko (“For the Future”)—submitted three amendments intended to block the government’s initiative. One of them was amendment #899 (to draft budget law #14000), which required depositing budget funds with the court (in addition, amendments #903 and #906 were also submitted).

Amendment #899 failed during the first reading of the 2026 budget thanks to an advocacy campaign by several civil society organizations, including the Ukrainian Nature Conservation Group, Holka, Free Svydovets, Environmental Law Alliance Worldwide (Ukraine), among others. However, two other amendments, which required submission of documents to the court confirming that budget funds had been deposited, were supported by parliament.

As a result, MPs who voted for these amendments, including amendment #899, were duly informed about the risks this posed to the state’s financial capacity during wartime, as well as about its connection to the interests of the so-called “Kolomoisky group.”

Bill information page on the website of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.

Filters

By alphabet

За фракціями

Select

By region

Select