Europe wants to pay Ukrainians abroad: what about those who live under bombs

Ukrainian refugees who decide to return to their homeland after the end of the war may receive financial assistance from European countries. So far, such a proposal has been developed by a committee of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, which is headed by Ukrainian People’s Deputy Alexey Goncharenko, and therefore it is premature to talk about this as a done deal.

However, it cannot be ruled out that European countries will financially encourage Ukrainians to return home. And here the main issue will be the question of justice - in relation to those who remained in Ukraine during the war.

Ukrainians who are under temporary protection in European countries and, after the cessation of hostilities on the territory of Ukraine, decide to return to their homeland will receive financial assistance from the relevant countries. This decision was made by the Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) on migration and refugees.

“At the end of hostilities, Ukrainians will be able to return to Ukraine and receive financial assistance from European countries,” said Deputy of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Aleksey Goncharenko, who also heads the PACE Committee on Migration. “We are also working to ensure that European countries take upon themselves assistance to our IDPs "

He added that the committee is preparing recommendations for all Council of Europe countries on this issue.

Alexey Goncharenko did not specify what amounts of financial assistance are being discussed, whether it is planned that this will be a one-time payment or monthly tranches over some time.

Incentive to return

The idea of ​​materially “stimulating” Ukrainians to return to their homeland is not new. Previously, plans to pay them certain amounts of money upon return were voiced, in particular, in the Czech Republic, Ireland, Finland, Switzerland, and Norway. Sometimes there was even talk about the possibility of leaving the host country before the end of hostilities in Ukraine.

However, this is apparently the first time that a pan-European decision to provide financial assistance to Ukrainian refugees who decide to return home has been discussed.

However, it is worth noting that now this is only a decision of the PACE committee. And even if it is approved by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, this does not mean that the European countries where Ukrainian refugees are located will support it.

“Let's start with the fact that PACE is not even the European Parliament, and its decisions are only advisory in nature. That is, this does not mean that such a decision will be implemented,” political expert Vitaly Kulik told Apostrophe.

According to him, such decisions should be made at the level of the European Commission, the European Parliament and individual EU countries. In this case, the key question will be the sources of financing for such an event.

“As long as some European countries haven’t accepted this, it’s nothing,” agrees investment banker and financial analyst Sergei Fursa in a conversation with the publication.

But if European countries - all or at least some - still decide to pay our refugees to return to Ukraine, what could be the logic here?

“We are talking about allowances for Ukrainian migrants who are going to return. And, apparently, this is seen as such a motivational program - so that people do not return to an empty place, without work and some prospects,” says Vitaly Kulik.

However, for Ukrainians who are now in European countries, such payments will not be the main motivating factor, Sergei Fursa is sure: “Ukrainians will stay there or not, based on whether they feel good or bad there. And of course, it depends on whether social assistance will continue for them in these countries.”

Fairness is a complex issue

This situation also raises the question of fairness - it turns out that Ukrainians who went abroad will receive a certain amount of money when they return, while those who remained in Ukraine will receive nothing. Alexey Goncharenko said that it is possible that internally displaced persons (IDPs) will also receive European money. But this also will not solve the issue of justice, since many people from the beginning of the war to this day remain in Kharkov, Odessa, Kherson, Zaporozhye, Dnieper and other settlements that are under enemy fire almost every day.

However, the issue of fairness is very complex and most likely does not have a simple solution.

“If Ukraine paid this (to those who decide to return home from Europe), then we would be talking about justice,” explains Sergei Fursa. — And if it’s not Ukraine that pays, that is, if this is implemented, which I don’t believe in, and, for example, Germany will pay those who were supported in this country, for them it is completely obvious - they will reduce the social burden. And for them this payment is a kind of bonus: they paid and got rid of it.”

Political scientist Igor Reiterovich also does not see a simple answer to this question. According to him, people who left Ukraine for other countries fell under the responsibility of these countries.

“We understand perfectly well that if, relatively speaking, 2 million Syrians come there, they will not pay any money to the Syrians who remained in Syria. Therefore, the issue here is not so much justice, but rather a legal one,” the expert said in a commentary to Apostrophe. — It is clear that the Ukrainians who stayed here may like this story less, but this is everyone’s choice. Someone will say that those who remained in Ukraine live in their apartments, they work, and have the opportunity to see their children. And among those who left, there are many who lost their housing in Ukraine and simply have nowhere to return.”

Satisfy everyone

That is why, according to Igor Reiterovich, it is necessary to look at the proposal to pay Ukrainians to return home not through the prism of justice, but as a way to help our refugees as much as possible. They say that when the war is over, Ukraine, together with the countries that have sheltered Ukrainians, will encourage people to return.

In addition, you need to be aware that not everyone in Europe is interested in Ukrainians leaving: “Some countries are so dependent on our workforce that they will refuse, in fact, to somehow encourage Ukrainians to return - there will be more of them arrange for them to stay and work.”

In turn, Vitaly Kulik offers his vision of solving the problem of ensuring justice.

“One of the possibilities for this, from my point of view, is the implementation of the idea of ​​a citizen of Ukraine receiving his share from the exploitation of the common property on a personal bank card,” the expert said. — We can say that this is a Ukrainian version of unconditional income. And this should concern those who remained, then there will be justice. We identify ourselves with this land, with this country, we stayed here in difficult times and we have the right to such a share. Those who left will receive assistance from the European Union.”

Kulik clarified that the corresponding payments should be made through rental payments. After all, the people of Ukraine are co-owners of the subsoil and other assets of national wealth in accordance with Article 13 of the Constitution.

“The land, its subsoil, atmospheric air, water and other natural resources that are located within the territory of Ukraine, the natural resources of its continental shelf, exclusive (maritime) economic zone are objects of property rights of the Ukrainian people,” the expert concluded.

Well, let's hope that our state will not offend those who remain in the country.