MP Payments During the War: How the Verkhovna Rada Abolished Financial Sanctions for Absenteeism

Ukrainian parliamentarians continue to receive monthly payments of nearly 200,000 hryvnias, intended for the fulfillment of their official duties, even when they fail to attend plenary sessions. According to an investigation by "Schemes," these funds are paid in addition to their base salary, and there is no mechanism for reporting on how these funds are spent.

Before the full-scale invasion, strict disciplinary rules were in place: funding was suspended if an MP missed more than 30% of votes or half of their committee meetings. In February 2022, the list of violators included leaders of major factions, such as David Arakhamia, Yulia Tymoshenko, and Petro Poroshenko.

The situation changed in May 2022, when the Verkhovna Rada adopted legislative changes that retroactively abolished these sanctions, effective from March 1, 2022. This decision led to a significant decline in attendance: according to journalists, in February 2026, 258 MPs missed more than 30% of votes. The total cost of these payments to such parliamentarians is estimated at approximately 50 million hryvnias per month.