The Ukrainian Agri Council (UAC), which unites more than 1,200 small and medium-sized agricultural enterprises from all over Ukraine, has appealed to Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Ruslan Stefanchuk to support draft law No. 12148, which aims to introduce special credit and leasing conditions for farmers during martial law.

In its appeal, the UAC emphasized that due to the hostilities and temporary occupation, many farmers had lost the ability to “conduct their business activities normally.” Entrepreneurs who worked in the territories that are currently under occupation or have become a zone of active hostilities before the war were particularly affected. “Leaving the occupation or moving to safe regions, farmers lose their enterprises and the ability to conduct business,” the UAC noted in the letter. As a result, they are unable to fulfill their loan obligations to banks in a timely manner.

The UAC emphasizes that amid such a difficult situation, “there are many cases of commercial banks applying mechanisms of debt collection to such farmers in full.” Debt collection often extends not only to the farmers themselves, but also to the guarantors of such loans - individuals who may be deprived of their “last possessions - the only apartment, vehicle, etc.”

To solve this problem, the UAC calls on the Verkhovna Rada to support the draft law No. 12148, which provides for a temporary prohibition on the enforcement of debts from farmers whose collateral or leased assets are located in the territories of active hostilities or temporarily occupied ones. It is proposed that such conditions should apply during martial law and for one year after its termination.

“We ask you to support the draft Law of Ukraine No. 12148 and facilitate its early inclusion in the agenda of the session and consideration by the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine,” the statement mentions.