Free land for war veterans: how many hectares can be obtained and what other benefits does the state guarantee?
This is set out in Article 14 of the Law ‘On the Status of War Veterans’.
However, not everyone can take advantage of this opportunity during martial law. Due to special restrictions, most procedures for the free transfer of land are currently suspended.
The legislation provides for the priority allocation of land plots to combatants for the construction of housing, farming or horticulture.
The maximum areas are:
- up to 2 hectares – for personal farming;
- up to 0.25 hectares – for the construction of a residential building in a village;
- up to 0.15 hectares – for the construction of housing in a settlement;
- up to 0.10 hectares – for the construction of housing in a town;
- up to 0.12 hectares – for horticulture;
- up to 0.10 hectares – for the construction of a holiday home.
To obtain a plot, you must apply to the local council or a government authority with an application, drawings showing the desired location of the land, and a certificate confirming your status as a combatant.
It is currently more difficult to obtain land, as a ban on the free transfer of most state- and municipally-owned land is in force during martial law in Ukraine.
At the same time, the law provides for exceptions. In particular, these apply to owners of property situated on the relevant plot, citizens whose homes were destroyed by the war, and certain land users who acquired their land before the Land Code came into force.
Therefore, in practice, the right to land for combatants is preserved, but many veterans will only be able to fully exercise this right once martial law has ended.
What other benefits are available to combatants
The Law ‘On the Status of War Veterans and Guarantees of Their Social Protection’ provides for a wide range of other benefits for veterans.
These include:
- free prescription medicines;
- priority for free dental prosthetics (excluding precious metals);
- a discount on housing and utility bills;
- priority for improved housing conditions;
- priority treatment in healthcare facilities;
- travel concessions on certain modes of transport;
- additional social guarantees in the areas of employment and education.
According to land market data, the average cost of one hectare of agricultural land in Ukraine already exceeds 75,000 hryvnias. Therefore, the right to receive a plot of land free of charge could become a valuable state guarantee for many veterans once the war is over.
Experts predict that once military restrictions are lifted, demand for land plots among combatants will rise significantly.
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