Last modification: 11.06.21 07:35:54
(The Official Bulletin of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine (BVR), 1996, No. 47, Article 256)
{Enacted by the Resolution of the Verkhovna Rada No. 394/96-ВР of 2 October 96, BVR, 1996, No. 47, Article 257}
{As amended by Laws
No. 653-XIV of 13 May 1999, BVR, 1999, No. 26, Article 219
No. 1294-IV of 20 November 2003, BVR, 2004, No. 13, Article 181
No. 2384-IV of 20 January 2005, BVR, 2005, No. 11, Article 200
No. 1254-VI of 14 April 2009, BVR, 2009, No. 36-37, Article 511
No. 4054-VI of 17 November 2011, BVR, 2012, No. 27, Article 276
No. 4452-VI of 23 February 2012, BVR, 2012, No. 50, Article 564
No. 5477-VI of 6 November 2012, BVR, 2013, No. 50, Article 693
No. 245-VII of 16 May 2013, BVR, 2014, No. 12, Article 178
No. 1261-VII of 13 May 2014, BVR, 2014, No. 28, Article 937
No. 1697-VII of 14 October 2014, BVR, 2015, No. 2—3, Article 12
No. 577-VIII of 2 July 2015, BVR, 2015, No. 35, Article 341
No. 834-VIII of 26 November 2015, BVR, 2016, No. 1, Article 9
No. 835-VIII of 26 November 2015, BVR, 2016, No. 2, Article 17
No. 1404-VIII of 2 June 2016, BVR, 2016, No. 30, Article 542
No. 2443-VIII of 22 May 2018, BVR, 2018, No. 33, Article 250}
{On certain provisions recognised as unconstitutional, refer to the Decision of the Constitutional Court
No. 8-r/2018 of 11 October 2018}
{As amended by Laws
No. 2704-VIII of 25 April 2019, BVR, 2019, No. 21, Article 81
No. 198-IX of 17 October 2019, BVR, 2019, No. 50, Article 356}
This Law shall regulate the issue of practical exercise by the citizens of Ukraine of the right, granted by the Constitution of Ukraine, to make proposals to the government authorities, citizens’ associations under their charter on the improvement of their activity, discover shortcomings in the work, appeal against actions of officials, government and public authorities. The Law shall ensure that the citizens of Ukraine are able to participate in management of the state and public affairs, influence the improvement of work of government authorities and local governments, enterprises, institutions, organisations irrespective of the form of ownership, assert their rights and legitimate interests and restore them in case of violation.
Citizens of Ukraine shall have the right to file observations, complaints and proposals with the government authorities, local governments, citizens associations, enterprises, institutions, organisations irrespective of the form of ownership, media, officials according to their functional duties related to their statutory activity, as well as application or motion on the exercise of their socio-economic, political and personal rights and legitimate interests and a complaint on their violation.
Military servicemen, employees of internal affairs and state security authorities, as well as privates and commanding staff of the State Penitentiary Service of Ukraine shall have the right to file appeals not related to their official activities.
{Part 2 of Article 1 as amended by Law No. 1254-VI of 14 April 2009}
Persons who are not citizens of Ukraine and legally stay on its territory shall have the same right to file appeals as the citizens of Ukraine, unless otherwise provided for by international treaties.
Article 2. Legislation on citizens’ appeals
The legislation of Ukraine on citizens’ appeals shall include this Law and other legislative acts issued under the Constitution of Ukraine and this Law.
Appeals of depositors to the Deposit Guarantee Fund concerning payment by the Fund of compensation within the guaranteed amount shall be considered in accordance with the procedure determined by the legislation on the deposit guarantee system.
{Article 2 has been supplemented with part 2 under Law No. 4452-VI of 23 February 2012}
Article 3. Main terms used in this Law
Citizens’ appeal shall mean proposals (observations), applications (motions) and complaints set forth in written or oral form.
Proposal (observation) shall mean citizens’ appeals expressing the advice, recommendations on the activity of government authorities and local governments, councillor of all levels, officials, as well as opinions on the regulation of public relations and living conditions of citizens, improving the legal basis of state and public life, social and cultural and other fields of activity of the state and society.
Application (motion) shall mean citizens’ appeals with a request to promote the exercise of their rights and interests enshrined by the Constitution and current legislation or notification of violations of current legislation or shortcomings in the activity of enterprises, institutions, organisations irrespective of the form of ownership, Members of Parliament of Ukraine, councillor, officials, as well as expressing the opinions on improving their activity. Motion shall mean a written request for recognising person’s status, rights or freedoms, etc.
Complaint shall mean a request to restore the rights and protect the legitimate interests of citizens violated by actions (inaction), decisions of government authorities, local governments, enterprises, institutions, organisations, citizens’ associations, officials.
Article 4. Decisions, actions (inaction), which may be appealed
Decisions, actions (inaction), which may be appealed shall include the following decisions, actions (inaction) in the field of management as a result of which:
rights and legitimate interests or freedoms of a citizen (group of citizens) have been violated;
obstacles for exercising by a citizen of his/her rights and legitimate interests or freedoms have been created;
any obligations have been illegally vested in a citizen or he/she has been illegally brought to liability.
Article 5. Requirements to appeals
{Article 5 as revised by Law No. 577-VIII of 2 July 2015 shall enter into force on 28 October 2015, except for part 3, which shall enter into force on 28 August 2015 — refer to clause 1 section II of Law No. 577-VIII of 2 July 2015}
Appeals shall be addressed to government authorities and local governments, enterprises, institutions, organisations, irrespective of the form of ownership, citizens’ associations or officials, whose powers include resolution of issues raised in the appeals.
Appeals may be filed by a particular person (personal) or a group of persons (collective).
The specific form of a collective citizens’ appeal to the President of Ukraine, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, local government shall be an electronic petition to be filed and considered in accordance with the procedure provided for by Article 23-1 of this Law.
An appeal may be oral or written.
An oral appeal shall be filed by a citizen at a personal reception or by telephone communication through certain contact centres, telephone “hot lines” and shall be recorded (registered) by an official.
A written appeal shall be sent by mail or referred by a citizen to a relevant authority, institution personally or through a person authorised by him/her, whose powers have been executed under the law. A written appeal may also be sent via the Internet, electronic means of communication (electronic appeal).
An appeal must contain the surname, given name and patronymic, place of residence of a citizen, indicate the essence of the issue, observation, proposal, application or complaint, request or demand. A written appeal must be signed by an applicant (applicants) with the indication of the date. An electronic appeal must also contain the e-mail address to which the applicant may receive a response or information on other means of communication with him/her. It shall not be required to apply an electronic digital signature when sending an electronic appeal.
An appeal executed without compliance with these requirements shall be returned to the applicant with relevant explanations no later than within ten days after the date of receiving it, except for the cases provided for by part 1, Article 7 of this Law.
Appeals for free legal aid shall be considered in accordance with the procedure provided for by the law regulating the provision of free legal aid.
{Article 5 as amended by Law No. 5477-VI of 6 November 2012; as revised by Law No. 577-VIII of 2 July 2015}
Article 6. Language of appeals, decisions and responses thereto
Application of languages in the field of citizens’ appeals, decisions and response thereto shall be determined by the Law of Ukraine “On Ensuring the Functioning of Ukrainian Language as the Official Language”.
{Article 6 as revised by Law No. 2704-VIII of 25 April 2019}
Article 7. Prohibition to deny acceptance and consideration of an appeal
Duly executed appeals, which have been filed in accordance with the determined procedure, must be accepted and considered.
It shall be prohibited to deny acceptance and consideration of an appeal with reference to political opinion, being a member of a certain party, sex, age, religious beliefs, ethnicity of a citizen, not knowing the language of an appeal.
Unless issues raised in the appeal received by a government authority, local government, enterprises, institutions, organisations irrespective of the form of ownership, citizens’ associations or officials fall within their powers, they shall forward such an appeal, within no more than five days, to a relevant authority or official, whereof the citizen who has filed the appeal shall be notified. Unless an appeal contains data necessary for adopting a reasoned decision by an authority or official, it shall be returned to a citizen within the same period with relevant explanations.
It is prohibited to send citizens’ complaints for consideration to the authorities or officials whose actions or decisions are appealed.
Article 8. Appeals not subject to consideration or resolution
A written appeal without the indication of the place of residence, not signed by an author (authors), as well as an appeal which makes it impossible to establish an author thereof, shall be recognised as anonymous and shall not be subject to consideration.
Repeated appeals to the same authority from the same citizen on the same issue shall not be considered if the first one has been resolved on the merits, as well as appeals the deadline for consideration of which are provided for by Article 17 of this Law, and appeals of persons recognised as incapable by a court.
{Provision of part 2 of Article 8 under which “appeals of persons recognised as incapable by a court” shall not be considered has been recognised as contradicting the Constitution of Ukraine (is unconstitutional) under the Judgement of the Constitutional Court No. 8-r/2018 of 11 October 2018}
A decision to terminate consideration of such an appeal shall be made by a head of the authority, whereof a person who has filed the appeal shall be notified.
Article 9. Prohibition to persecute citizens for filing appeals and force them to file such appeals
It shall be prohibited to persecute citizens and their family members for filing appeals to the government authorities, local governments, enterprises, institutions, organisations irrespective of the form of ownership, citizens’ associations, officials for criticising their activity and decisions in the appeal.
No one may be forced to file a personal or to sign a collective appeal or to participate in campaigns for supporting the appeals of other persons or organisations.
Article 10. Prohibition to disclose information contained in appeals
It shall not be allowed to disclose information obtained from appeals about private life of citizens without their consent or information being a state or other secret protected by law, and other information if it violates the rights and legitimate interests of citizens. It shall not be allowed to clarify personal data of a citizen, which does not concern the appeal. At the citizen’s request, anything expressed orally or specified in the text of an appeal, his/her name, place of residence and employment shall not be disclosed.
Such a prohibition shall not apply to cases of communicating the information contained in the application to persons involved in resolving the case.
Article 11. Appeals to citizens’ associations
Appeals received by citizens’ associations contained observations and proposals on their activity shall be considered by such associations and their bodies under the charters of such associations, and applications and complaints concerning infringement or violation of citizens’ rights by them — under this Law.
This Law shall not apply to the procedure for considering citizens’ applications and complaints determined by the criminal procedure, civil procedure, labour legislation, legislation on the protection of economic competition, Laws of Ukraine “On the Judiciary and Status of Judges” and “On Access to Judgments”, Code of Administrative Proceedings of Ukraine, Laws of Ukraine “On Preventing the Corruption” and “On Enforcement Proceedings”.
{Article 12 as amended by Laws No. 653-XIV of 13 May 1999, No. 1294-IV of 20 November 2003, No. 4054-VI of 17 November 2011, No. 245-VII of 16 May 2013, No. 1261-VII of 13 May 2014, No. 1404-VIII of 2 June 2016, No. 198-IX of 17 October 2019}
Article 13. Document management on citizens’ appeals
Document management on citizens’ appeals shall be carried out in accordance with the procedure to be determined by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine.
Section II
PROCEDURE FOR CONSIDERING CITIZENS’ APPEALS
Article 14. Consideration of citizens’ proposals (observations)
Government authorities and local governments, enterprises, institutions, organisations irrespective of the form of ownership, citizens’ associations, officials must consider the proposals (observations) and notify a citizen of the results of consideration.
Proposals (observations) of the Heroes of the Soviet Union, Heroes of Socialist Labour, persons with disabilities as a result of war shall be considered on a first-priority basis personally by heads of the government authorities, local governments, enterprises, institutions and organisations.
{Part 2 of Article 14 as amended by Law No. 2443-VIII of 22 May 2018}
Article 15. Consideration of applications (motions)
Government authorities, local governments and their officials, heads and officials of enterprises, institutions, organisations irrespective of the form of ownership, citizens’ associations the powers of which include consideration of applications (motions), must impartially and timely consider them, verify the facts set forth therein, make decisions under the current legislation and ensure their enforcement, notify citizens of the consequences of considering the applications (motions).
Applications (motions) of the Heroes of the Soviet Union, Heroes of Socialist Labour, persons with disabilities as a result of war shall be considered on a first-priority basis personally by heads of the government authorities, local governments, enterprises, institutions and organisations.
{Part 2 of Article 15 as amended by Law No. 2443-VIII of 22 May 2018}
A response following the results of considering the applications (motions) must be given by an authority, which has received such applications and the competence of which includes resolution of issues raised in the applications (motions), and shall be signed by a head or acting head.
A decision to deny satisfaction of the demands set forth in an application (motion) shall be brought to the notice of the citizen in writing with reference to the Law and stating the reasons for refusal, as well as with an explanation of the procedure for appealing against the made decision.
Article 16. Consideration of citizens’ complaints
A complaint against actions or decisions of a government authority, local government, enterprise, institution, organisation, citizens’ association, mass media, official shall be filed in the order of subordination to a higher authority or official, which shall not deprive a citizen of the right to appeal to court under the current legislation, and in the absence of such an authority or citizen’s disagreement with the decision made on the complaint — directly to court.
Complaints of the Heroes of the Soviet Union, Heroes of Socialist Labour, persons with disabilities as a result of war shall be considered on a first-priority basis personally by heads of the government authorities, local governments, enterprises, institutions and organisations.
{Part 2 of Article 16 as amended by Law No. 2443-VIII of 22 May 2018}
Complaints against resolutions of the general meeting of members of collective agricultural enterprises, joint-stock companies, legal entities established based on collective ownership, as well as decisions of higher government authorities shall be resolved in court.
A citizen may file a complaint personally or through a duly authorised person. A complaint in the interests of minor and incapable persons shall be filed by their legal representatives.
{Provision of sentence 2, part 4 of Article 16 concerning filing a complaint in the interests of incapable persons only by their legal representatives has been recognised as contradicting the Constitution of Ukraine (is unconstitutional) under the Judgment of the Constitutional Court No. 8-r/2018 of 11 October 2018}
A complaint in the interests of a citizen following his/her authorisation executed in accordance with the procedure determined by the law may be filed by another person, labour collective or organisation carrying out the activity on protecting human rights advocacy.
The complaint shall be accompanied by decisions or copies of decisions available to a citizen, which have been made earlier at his/her request, as well as other documents necessary for the considering the complaint, which shall be returned to a citizen after it is considered.
Specific aspects of considering citizens’ complaints against decisions, actions or inaction of state registrars of corporeal rights to real estate shall be determined by the Law of Ukraine “On State Registration of Corporeal Rights to Real Estate and Their Encumbrances”.
{Article 16 has been supplemented by part 7 as amended by Law No. 834-VIII of 26 November 2015}
Specific aspects of considering citizens’ complaints against registration actions, denial of state registration, inaction of a state registrar shall be determined by the Law of Ukraine “On State Registration of Legal Entities, Individuals Entrepreneurs and Public Organisations”.
{Article 16 has been supplemented with a new part under Law No. 835-VIII of 26 November 2015}
Article 17. Deadlines for filing a complaint
A complaint against an appealed decision may be filed with a higher authority or official within one year after it is made, but no later than within one month after a citizen has reviewed the made decision. Complaints filed in violated of the specified deadline shall not be considered.
The deadline missed for a valid reason may be restored by an authority or official considering the complaint.
A decision of a higher government authority, which considered the complaint may be appealed within the period provided for by the legislation of Ukraine if a citizen disagrees with it.
Article 18. Citizen’s rights during the consideration of an application or complaint
A citizen who has filed an application or complaint with government authorities, local governments, enterprises, institutions, organisations irrespective of the form of ownership, citizens’ associations, media, officials, shall have the right:
to personally submit arguments to a person who checked the application or complaint, and participate in checking of the filed complaint or application;
to review the inspection materials;
to submit additional materials or insist on inquiry thereof by an authority considering the application or complaint;
to be present during the consideration of the application or complaint;
to enjoy the services of a lawyer or a representative of the labour collective, organisation performing the human rights advocacy function, having issued such an authorisation in accordance with the procedure determined by the law;
to receive a written response following the results of considering the application or complaint;
to express orally or in writing a demand for observing the secrecy of consideration of the application or complaint;
to demand compensation for losses if they resulted from violations of the determined procedure for considering the appeals.
Article 19. Obligations of government authorities, local governments, enterprises, institutions, organisations irrespective of the form of ownership, citizens’ associations, media, their heads and other officials on the consideration of applications or complaints
Government authorities and local governments, enterprises, institutions, organisations irrespective of the form of ownership, citizens’ associations, media, their heads and other officials must, within their competence:
verify the applications or complaints in an impartial, fully-fledged and timely manner;
in case of making a decision to restrict access of a citizen to relevant information during the consideration of an application or complaint, draw up a reasoned resolution thereon;
{Part 1 of Article 19 has been supplemented with a new paragraph under Law No. 2384-IV of 20 January 2005}
at the citizen’s request, invite him/her to the meetings of a relevant authority considering his/her application or complaint;
cancel or amend the appealed decisions in cases provided for by the legislation of Ukraine if they fail to meet the law or other regulatory acts, immediately take measures on terminating the unlawful actions, detect, eliminate the reasons and conditions, which facilitated the violation;
ensure restoration of violated rights, actual enforcement of decisions made in connection with the application or complaint;
notify a citizen in written on the results of verification of the application or complaint and merits of the made decision;
take measures on compensating for the pecuniary losses in accordance with the determined procedure if they have been caused to a citizen as a result of infringing his/her rights or legitimate interests, resolve issues on the liability of persons due to whose fault the violation was committed, as well as communicate, at the citizen’s request no later than within one month, the made decision to the local government, labour collective or citizens’ association at the place of citizen’s residence;
if the application or complaint is recognised as unsubstantiated, explain the procedure for appealing against the decision made on it;
prevent unjustified transfer of consideration of applications or complaints to other authorities;
personally organise and check the state of consideration of citizens’ applications or complaints, take measures to eliminate the causes that give rise to them, systematically analyse and inform the public about the progress of such work.
Should it be necessary and possible, the consideration of citizens’ appeals shall be assigned to an official or subdivision of the administration office specifically authorised to perform such work, within the budget allocations. This provision shall not cancel the requirements of paragraph 9, part 1 of this Article.
Article 20. Deadline for considering citizens’ appeals
Appeals shall be considered and resolved within no more than one month after receiving them, and appeals requiring no additional study — immediately, but no later than fifteen days after the date of their receipt. If it is impossible to resolve the issues raised in the appeal within one month, head of a relevant authority, enterprise, institution, organisation or his/her deputy shall set the necessary deadline for considering it, whereof a person who has filed the appeal shall be notified. In this case, the total period for resolving the issues raised in the appeal may not exceed forty-five days.
At the substantiated written request of a citizen, the period of consideration may be cut from the period set by this Article.
Appeals of citizens who enjoy the benefits determined by law shall be considered on a first-priority basis.
Article 21. Free-of-charge consideration of appeals
Government authorities, local governments, enterprises, institutions, organisations irrespective of the form of ownership, citizens’ associations, officials shall consider citizens’ appeals without charging any fee.
Article 22. Personal reception of citizens
Heads and other officials of government authorities, local governments, enterprises, institutions, organisations irrespective of the form of ownership, citizens’ associations must hold a personal reception of citizens.
Reception shall be held regularly on determined days and hours, at a time convenient for citizens, at their place of work and residence. Reception schedules shall be communicated to citizens.
The procedure for receiving citizens in government authorities, local governments, enterprises, institutions, organisations irrespective of the form of ownership, citizens’ associations shall be determined by their heads.
All citizens’ appeals at a personal reception shall be registered. Should it be impossible to resolve issues raised in an oral appeal directly at the personal reception, it shall be considered in accordance with the same procedure as the written appeal. The results of consideration shall be communicated to a citizen in writing or orally, at the choice of a citizen.
Article 23. Organisation of reception of citizens by senior officials
Senior officials of the state — the President of Ukraine, the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, the Prime Minister of Ukraine — shall hold the reception in accordance with the procedure determined by them.
Article 23-1. Electronic petition, procedure for filing and considering it
Citizens may file electronic petitions with the President of Ukraine, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, local governments through the official website of an authority to which it is addressed, or website of a public association gathering signatures in support of electronic petitions.
The electronic petition must contain the essence of an appeal, surname, given name, patronymic of an author (initiator) of the electronic petition, e-mail address. The website of a relevant authority or public association gathering signatures must contain the date of the start of gathering signatures and information on the total number and list of persons who have signed the electronic petition.
1. The electronic petition may not contain calls to overthrow the constitutional order, infringing the territorial integrity of Ukraine, propaganda of war, violence, cruelty, incitement to ethnic, racial, religious hatred, performing terrorist attacks, encroachment on the human rights and freedoms.
An author (initiator) of the electronic petition shall be responsible for the content of the electronic petition.
In order to create an electronic petition to the President of Ukraine, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, local government, its author (initiator) shall fill out a special form on the official website of an authority to which it is addressed or website of a public association gathering signatures in support of electronic petitions, and shall place the text of the electronic petition.
The electronic petition shall be published on the official website of the President of Ukraine, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, local government or on the website of a public association gathering signatures in support of electronic petitions within two business days after it is sent by the author (initiator).
If the electronic petition fails to comply with the set requirements, such a petition shall not be published, whereof an author (initiator) shall be notified no later than within the period determined for publishing it.
The date of publication of the electronic petition on the official website of the President of Ukraine, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, relevant local government or on the website of a public association shall be the date of start of gathering signatures in support thereof.
Relevant government authorities, local governments and public associations must, ensure during gathering of signatures in support of the electronic petition:
free access and use of information and telecommunication system through which signatures are gathered;
electronic registration of citizens for signing the petition;
preventing the automatic entry of information, including signing of an electronic petition, without participation of a citizen;
fixing the date and time of publication of the electronic petition and signing thereof by a citizen.
An electronic petition, which failed to obtain the required number of votes in support of it within the set period, shall be considered as an appeal of citizens under this Law after the deadline for gathering signatures in support thereof expires.
An electronic petition addressed to the President of Ukraine, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, and the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine shall be considered in accordance with the procedure determined by this Article, provided that at least 25,000 signatures are gathered within no more than three months after the date of publication.
Requirements to the number of citizens’ signatures in support of an electronic petition to a local government and deadline for gathering signatures shall be determined by a charter of the territorial community.
An electronic petition, signatures in support of which were gathered through the website of a public association and which within the set period has obtained the required number of signatures in support thereof, shall be sent by a public association to an authority to which the petition addressed no later than the next day, with the indication of information on the date of the beginning of gathering the signatures, the date of sending the electronic petition, total number and list of persons who signed the electronic petition (or a link to the source of such information on the Internet), deadline for gathering signatures, name and e-mail address of a public association.
Information about the commencement of consideration of an electronic petition, which obtained the required number of votes in support thereof, shall be published on the official website of the President of Ukraine, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, relevant local government no later than within three business days after obtaining the required number of signatures in support of the petition, and in the case of receiving an electronic petition from a public association — no later than within two business days after receiving such a petition.
The electronic petition shall be considered immediately, but no later than within ten business days after the date of publication of the information about the commencement of its consideration.
If the electronic petition contains a request for consideration thereof at the parliamentary hearings in the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine or public hearings of a relevant territorial community, an author (initiator) of the petition shall have the right to present the electronic petition at such hearings. In this case, the deadline for considering the electronic petition shall be extended for a period necessary for holding the relevant hearings.
The procedure for considering an electronic appeal addressed to the President of Ukraine, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, local government shall be determined by the President of Ukraine, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, and a local council, respectively.
The support or non-support of an electronic petition shall be publicly announced on the official website of the President of Ukraine — on an electronic petition addressed to the President of Ukraine, the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine — on an electronic petition addressed to the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, the Prime Minister of Ukraine — on an electronic petition The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, the chairman of a relevant local council — on an electronic petition addressed to a local government.
A response to the electronic petition shall contain the results of considering the issues raised in with relevant justification.
A response to the electronic petition shall be published on the official website of an authority to which it was addressed no later than the next business day after the completion of its consideration, and shall be sent in writing to an author (initiator) of the electronic petition and relevant public association gathering signatures in support of a relevant electronic petition.
Should it be deemed appropriate, proposals set forth in an electronic petition may be implemented by an authority to which it is addressed by taking a decision on issues within its competence. According to the results of considering an electronic petition, the President of Ukraine, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, and the Members of Parliament of Ukraine may develop and submit to the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine the draft laws aimed at resolving the issues raised in the petition.
Information about the number of signatures obtained in support of the electronic petition and deadlines for gathering them shall be kept for at least three years after the date of publication of the petition.
{Section II has been supplemented with Article 23-1 under Law No. 577-VIII of 2 July 2015}
Section III
LIABILITY FOR VIOLATING THE LEGISLATION ON CITIZENS’ APPEALS
Article 24. Liability of officials for violating the legislation on citizens’ appeals
Persona guilty of violating this Law shall bear civil, administrative or criminal liability provided for by the legislation of Ukraine.
Article 25. Compensation for citizen’s losses due to the violation of requirements of this Law when considering his/her complaint
If a complaint is satisfied, an authority or official who made an illegal decision on a citizen’s appeal shall compensate him/her for pecuniary damages related to the filing and considering the complaint, reasonable expenses incurred in connection with the departure for considering the complaint and lost earnings during such a period. Disputes concerning the recovery of expenses shall be considered in court.
A citizen may be compensated, at his/her request and in accordance with the procedure determined by the current legislation, for the non-pecuniary damages caused by illegal actions or decisions of an authority or official during the consideration of a complaint. The amount of compensation for pecuniary (non-pecuniary) damages in monetary terms shall be determined by court.
Article 26. Liability of citizens for filing unlawful appeals
Filing by a citizen of an appeal containing defamation and insults, discrediting government authorities, local governments, citizens’ associations and their officials, heads and other officials of enterprises, institutions and organisations irrespective of the form of ownership, calls to incite ethnic, racial, religious hatred and other actions, shall entail liability under the current legislation.
Article 27. Compensation for the expenses on verifying the appeals containing deliberately false information
Expenses incurred by a government authority, local government, enterprise, institution, organisation irrespective of the form of ownership, citizens’ associations, media in connection with verifying the appeals containing deliberately false information may be recovered from a citizen under a judgment.
Article 28. Control over the compliance with the legislation on citizens’ appeals
Control over the compliance with the legislation on citizens’ appeals shall be carried out by the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, Members of Parliament of Ukraine, the President of Ukraine, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights, the Verkhovna Rada of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, oblast, Kyiv and Sevastopol city, raion, district state administrations in the cities of Kyiv and Sevastopol, village, settlement, city councils and their executive committees, councillors of local councils, as well as ministries, other central executive authorities in relation to their subordinate enterprises, institutions and organisations, within their competence.
{Article 29 has been deleted under Law No. 1697-VII of 14 October 2014}
