The government is reforming the reservation: what points is the expert environment against?

The Cabinet of Ministers of 13 October considered changes to the order of booking of military employees of critically important enterprises. Among the proposed innovations are the reduction of booking quotas for certain industries and the creation of a Coordination Center for booking organization under the government.

In particular, for enterprises of the military-industrial complex and energy, which have the right to book up to 100% of military employees, they propose to set a limit of 85%. For enterprises of heat and water supply and other utilities, for the relevant categories of which a limit of 75% is provided, they propose to reduce it to 60%.

The coordination center should have been involved in determining the criticality of enterprises and agreeing on booking quotas over 50%. Without the positive recommendation of this body, enterprises could face restrictions in obtaining the status of critical or in booking employees over the established threshold.

People's Deputy Ярослав Железняк said that the norm on changing the base of calculation of 50-percent quota was removed. The base, as before, can be included employees who have a delay, in particular students, caregivers and parents of three children.

According to Zheleznyak, 17 representatives should enter the Coordination Center, in particular from СБУ, ГУР, the Foreign Intelligence Service, the National Police and the humanitarian bloc.

Prime Minister Сергій Корецький 16 October said in a statement to Верховній Раді that the ruling was still in the works.

"Постанова ця в процесі опрацювання. Вона обовʼязково буде допрацьована, ухвалена і оприлюднена. Ніякої зради там немає. Той скепсис, який зараз в суспільстві обговорюється, немає підстав, немає жодних офіційних рішень, немає що критикувати зараз", the head of government said.

Separately, they discuss the possible strengthening of conditions for obtaining family deferrals from mobilization. Proposals related to the parents of children with disabilities and seriously ill children, spouses and parents of people with disabilities, as well as military prisoners who care for sick relatives.

In particular, they suggested to take into account whether there are other family members who can care for a child.

Manufacturers of weapons against the reduction of reservations

In the Ukrainian Council of gunsmiths criticized the proposal to limit the reservation of employees of the military-industrial complex to 85%. Executive Director of the organization Ігор Федірко said that Ukrainian manufacturers should increase the production of weapons, expand production and develop new technologies. To do this, they need qualified workers.

"Зниження до 85%, 90% чи 95% ми не підтримаємо. Війську потрібна зброя. Для її виробництва потрібні люди",” concluded the Executive Director of the Ukrainian Council of Gunsmiths.

In the industry believe that the reduction of the quota may create a contradiction between the requirement of the state to increase the production of weapons and the limitation of the ability of enterprises to retain the necessary specialists.

The National Association of Defense Industry Enterprises of Ukraine also opposed the reduction of the quota. The organization urged the government to keep 100% of the reservation of defense workers and not to impose restrictions without proper justification.

The Association warns that the loss of trained workers can lead to a decrease in productivity, additional costs for finding and training replacement, as well as an increase in the cost of defense products. This is especially important for enterprises that expand production facilities and have to fulfill state defense orders.

Industry representatives emphasize that if the state detects an abuse of the reservation, it would be better to check the specific enterprises and the legality of the benefits granted to them, and not to introduce the same restrictions for the entire industry.

Restrictions can weaken the defense industry

MP, Secretary of the Committee on National Security, Defense and Intelligence Роман Костенко also criticized the proposed changes.

He stated that the restriction of bookings can lead to loss of specialists and weakening of production. According to him, the Ukrainian defense industry has developed, in particular, due to the ability to book all military employees at the relevant enterprises.

Костенко drew attention to the fact that some manufacturers of weapons continue to expand production, receive state orders and need additional employees. In such conditions, reducing bookings, in his opinion, can create problems for the further development of enterprises.

"Я просто впевнений на 100%, що зараз ці люди просто або знову підуть в тінь, або десь поховаються по домівкам, або вийдуть з країни під різними приводами. І це потрібно було прораховувати", said the MP.

He also questioned the feasibility of restrictions for enterprises that increase the output of weapons and can enter foreign markets. According to Kostenko, before the decision was made, the government had to assess the possible personnel consequences and explain how the new rules will affect the implementation of defense contracts.

Створення Координаційного Center will increase corruption

MP and member of the parliamentary Committee on national security, defense and intelligence Ірина Фріз said that the reduction of bookings may increase corruption risks, cause the outflow of specialists abroad and do not provide the expected effect for mobilization.

According to her, the government did not provide the relevant committee with proper justifications for the proposed changes, in particular calculations, algorithms and forecasts of expected results.

"Я категорично проти анонсованих урядом змін. Я вважаю, що, окрім додаткової бюрократії і корупції, зокрема щодо формування окремого органу — Координаційного центру, — ці рішення нічого не містять, окрім негативних ризиків",

Окремо Фріз stressed that the issue of deferrals from mobilization should be regulated by law, and not only by government decisions. She also questioned the feasibility of creating a Coordination Center without clearly defined powers and a transparent decision-making procedure.

Олександр Федієнко MP also spoke out against the creation of the Coordination Center. He said that a group of parliamentarians from different factions appealed to the Prime Minister with a demand to reconsider the feasibility of creating such a body and abandon the relevant plans.

According to Fedienko, the emergence of an additional link of coordination can complicate the work of defense industry, energy, transport and critical infrastructure.

"Наше питання просте: яку конкретну проблему має вирішити ще один орган? Ніякої! Якщо під час бронювання є зловживання, потрібно перевіряти конкретні підприємства та законність ухвалених рішень. Якщо чинна система не працює, необхідно вдосконалювати її, а не створювати нові бюрократичні структури", said the MP.

Федієнко recalled that in July 2026 the parliament already appealed to the government about the creation of such a body, after which the corresponding initiative was canceled.

On Friday, 16 October, it became known that 63 MPs registered a draft resolution to review the decision of the Cabinet of Ministers to limit the possibilities of booking employees of critical enterprises. The initiative concerns, in particular, the reduction of quotas for the defense sector and the creation of a Coordination Center.