On February 18, Permanent Representative, Olha Kuryshko, held a meeting at the Mission with representatives of the CrimeaSOS NGO, the ZMINA Human Rights Center, and the Right to Protection charitable foundation, which, along with other organizations, are part of the Coalition of Organizations Working to Protect the Rights of Those Affected by Armed Aggression Against Ukraine. Ukrainian MP Tamila Tasheva and experts also joined the discussion.

The main focus of the meeting was the presentation of a roadmap for legislative initiatives related to the protection of the rights of those affected by Russia’s armed aggression against Ukraine.

A discussion was dedicated to draft regulatory acts on damage assessment and compensation, which currently do not account for the situation in the temporarily occupied territories since 2014. The participants emphasized the need to update legislation and adapt it to real challenges, particularly through the development of specific legal mechanisms to document and address the damage caused by the ongoing occupation.

Olha Kuryshko emphasized the need for a comprehensive approach to documenting the damage inflicted on the temporarily occupied territories. She highlighted that while a full assessment of losses will only be possible after Ukraine regains control over these areas, it is crucial to develop an effective system for recording and documenting destruction even now.

The meeting also addressed legislative changes related to support for internally displaced persons, the introduction of an administrative procedure for registering civil status acts that occurred in the temporarily occupied territories, and the development of state governance structures in liberated areas.

At the conclusion of the meeting, the participants discussed the next steps for the development and implementation of relevant policies, emphasizing the importance of considering the conditions of the ongoing occupation in the legislative process.