The State Duma clarified the principles of “credit amnesty” for mobilized: not everyone will receive

The State Duma unanimously adopted several laws on benefits for those called up for mobilization and combatants in the NVO zone. True, the initiative on credit holidays has so far passed only the first reading and will be urgently – overnight – significantly improved. Debts for any amount will be written off not only to the dead, but also to those who have become disabled of the first group, but the mobilized should not expect a general “credit amnesty”.

At first, the deputies virtually voted without discussion for, so to speak, “indisputable” benefits: for speed, they were introduced in the form of amendments to the second reading in bills that did not provide for anything like that in the first reading. What is this about?

The current Labor Code requires the employer to terminate contracts with mobilized or voluntarily contracted for military service. But now the employment contract with such citizens will not be terminated, but only suspended for the entire period of military service or mobilization. They are guaranteed their former place of work and position – unless, of course, the office has closed and the enterprise has not gone bankrupt.

The reservation is not accidental: Sergei Kazankov (KPRF) recalled that businessmen-employers are also subject to mobilization, they become military personnel who are prohibited by law from doing business themselves and through proxies. “If you can theoretically try to sell an LLC and save jobs, then everything is dull with an individual entrepreneur, there is only one legal way out – to liquidate and fire employees.” There is no solution to this problem yet.

The employer has the right, three months after the end of the mobilization or the contract, if the former employee has not returned, to terminate the contract with him. With those who will replace the mobilized, it is prescribed to conclude urgent contracts. “The spouse or spouse of the conscripted person will be guaranteed non-dismissal, they can be involved in work on weekends, holidays and overtime only with personal consent,” Yaroslav Nilov (LDPR), head of the Duma Committee on Labor and Social Policy, explained to his colleagues.

Similar labor guarantees were prescribed in the law “On Civil Service”. Aleksey Kurinny (KPRF) recalled that in addition to regional and federal civil servants, there are also municipal ones, but nothing is said about them. But the head of the Duma Committee on Security and Anti-Corruption, Vasily Piskarev (ER), assured that a separate bill was not required for municipal employees – their labor relations are regulated by the Labor Code.

Another benefit is the opportunity not to pay penalties for late payments for utilities and overhaul contributions for the mobilized and their families for the duration of the military service contract. This measure is similar to the one that was in effect during the anti-epidemic “self-isolation regime” in 2020. The procedure for issuing this benefit should be developed by the heads of regions, explained Pavel Kachkaev, First Deputy Head of the Committee for Housing and Public Utilities. Galina Khovanskaya (SR) proposed to release the mobilized from rent altogether: “there will be no one to pay, especially when the mobilized is a lonely person,” she said. Mr. Kachkaev explained that this norm “requires additional elaboration”, and at the moment “ER” supports the benefit in the wording that is proposed: only penalties.

The bill on “credit holidays”, introduced by deputies from different factions and a group of senators, is also based on the experience of the “covid” time. An application for deferred payments for servicing any loan (mortgage too) for those mobilized who applied with such a request to the bank should be considered within five days, Anatoly Aksakov (SR), the head of the Duma Committee on the Financial Market, explained to his colleagues. The document, adopted in the first reading, states that the period of vacation is equal to the period of military service of the mobilized. But no one now knows what it will turn out to be, and what to do, for how long to ask for a delay? Some explanations and clarifications can be made for the second reading, Mr. Aksakov noted. In addition, an agreement has already been reached with both the government and the Central Bank that the list of persons whose debts will be completely written off will be supplemented: now it only includes those who died during the hostilities, were mobilized or subsequently died from combat wounds, and there will also be disabled people of the first groups. Perhaps, by the second reading, the right to write off a loan for the widows of those who died during the hostilities, if the loan was drawn up for them, will also be discussed. And the right to “holidays” will be given not only to those called up after the announcement of mobilization, but also to everyone who has been “performing duties in the NVO zone” since February 24, Mr. Aksakov assured.

Sergei Lisovsky (ER) drew attention to the fact that the bill proposes to determine the amount of the maximum debited amount in the event of the death of a serviceman to the government and the Central Bank. “When will the issue be resolved?” he asked. “We agreed that there will be no limits in case of death, all obligations will cease in full,” Mr. Aksakov said. And for guarantors, too, said Alexei Moiseev, deputy head of the Ministry of Finance, who participated in the discussion.

Nina Ostanina (Communist Party of the Russian Federation) suggested clarifying the duration of the “credit holidays”: even if the soldier returned with arms and legs, “this does not mean that his psyche is healthy,” and rehabilitation will be required. “This is a matter for a separate discussion, we need to consult with doctors,” Mr. Aksakov answered vaguely.

Valery Skrug (ER) asked if the adoption of the law would lead to the fact that banks would stop issuing loans altogether – after all, all losses would fall on them, they would not allocate funds from the federal budget. “It is possible that this will lead to an increase in rates for all lenders,” admitted Mr. Aksakov.

Oleg Nilov (SR) wanted to know how much borrowed funds are in question: the deputy believes that it is necessary to declare a credit amnesty for all combatants without exception, but “you must first calculate.” “I proceed from the fact that, as the President and the head of the Ministry of Defense stated, the operation is proceeding in such a way as to minimize the losses of our servicemen. The payment for staying in the NMD zone will be quite high, and for the majority of those called up, the financial situation will not worsen, but improve,” Mr. Moiseev noted. If we were talking about conscripts, then we could talk about writing off debts, but since we are talking about contract soldiers, it’s not worth talking about, he said.

The second and third readings of this bill are scheduled for Wednesday, September 28.