According to the updated regulations, clergy members will now be subject to military service reservation based on a list of positions determined by the State Service for Ethnopolitics and Freedom of Conscience (SSES).
This new rule places clergy members in the same category as key figures such as ultimate beneficial owners of critical enterprises, members of supervisory boards, and employees of foreign diplomatic missions.
Religious organizations, recognized as critical legal entities, have also been included in the list of institutions deemed essential for the economy and well-being of the population. This aligns religious organizations with donor agency offices and organizations involved in international technical assistance projects.
A significant change is that the usual limitation, which restricts the reservation of no more than half of the workforce, will no longer apply to clergy members or certain medical professionals, including prosthetists, orthodontists, and related specialists.
Furthermore, the salary cap of 20,000 UAH for employees of critical enterprises eligible for reservation has been lifted for religious organizations.
Previously, employees of critical enterprises and institutions were required to earn at least 20,000 UAH to qualify for a deferment from military service, but this did not apply to state enterprises, local government bodies, or economic societies where the state holds more than 50% of the shares.
The salary requirement has now also been removed for religious organizations that are considered critical to the economy and infrastructure of Ukraine.
Additionally, religious organizations will not be included in the Unified List of State Bodies for reserving conscripted military personnel. They are now specifically exempt from this under the new procedures established by the government.
The reservation for a clergy member will be canceled in the event of their dismissal from office. The SSES will submit an electronic request to cancel the reservation based on the employer's information regarding the clergy member's employment status.