The Ministry of Digital Transformation and "Diya" are blocking access to grants for military personnel and entrepreneurs, says NALU Chairman Shevchuk
Oleksiy Shevchuk, Chairman of the National Association of Lobbyists of Ukraine, has appealed to Oleksandr Bornyak, Ukraine’s Acting Minister of Digital Transformation, regarding the suspension of grants for military families and entrepreneurs. They have effectively lost access to government grant programs.
A corresponding appeal has already been drafted and sent to the Ministry of Digital Transformation.
This primarily concerns the microgrant program provided for by Cabinet of Ministers Resolution No. 738, which allows for repeated participation provided that the established criteria are met.
Despite the fact that applicants have met all necessary requirements, including paying taxes, fees, and social security contributions, the system automatically blocks the resubmission of documents. Users receive the message: “You have already submitted an application,” even though current legislation explicitly permits repeated participation in the program.
Experts emphasize that the problem goes beyond a technical glitch and may indicate a systemic violation of citizens’ rights. In fact, the digital infrastructure does not comply with current legislation, and the state is creating barriers to the implementation of its own guarantees to support businesses and socially vulnerable groups.
The problem is particularly acute for the families of military personnel. According to CMU Resolution No. 1401 of October 29, 2025, the following are eligible to participate in the grant program:
- parents of fallen servicemembers;
- adult children;
- dependents of military personnel.
However, in practice, these categories of citizens are not integrated into the functionality of the “Diya” portal and are unable to submit an application. Thus, the social guarantee effectively remains inaccessible.
Lawyers note that this situation may constitute:
- a violation of the principle of equal access to public services;
- indirect discrimination based on social status;
- the creation of artificial administrative barriers;
- improper implementation of resolutions of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine.
The National Association of Lobbyists of Ukraine has already joined efforts to resolve the situation, initiating an official appeal to the Acting Minister of Digital Transformation of Ukraine demanding the immediate elimination of the violations and the restoration of access to grant programs.
The appeal contains demands regarding:
- bringing the functionality of “Dii” into compliance with Resolutions No. 738 and No. 1401;
- unblocking the resubmission of applications;
- technically connecting new categories of aid recipients;
- a public explanation of the reasons for the failure;
- introducing an alternative mechanism for submitting applications until the system is fully restored.
Experts warn that the lack of a prompt response from the state could serve as grounds for a legal assessment of the actions or inaction of the responsible authorities. During wartime, when support for entrepreneurship and military families is critical to the country’s economic and social stability, such issues are not only technical but also strategic in nature.
Blocking access to grants undermines trust in state institutions and calls into question the effectiveness of digital transformation in Ukraine. Continued disregard of the situation may indicate a systemic failure by the state to fulfill its obligations to citizens.
Earlier, the National Association of Lobbyists (NALU) proposed amendments to the Economic Security Bureau’s (ESB) draft regarding mediation procedures in tax non-payment cases.
As a reminder, the National Association of Lobbyists of Ukraine (NALU) previously developed an alternative bill on the introduction of value-added tax (VAT) for individual entrepreneurs. The initiative aims to protect small and medium-sized businesses under martial law and during post-war recovery.
