Head of the State Agency for Reconstruction explains why the idea to give away apartments to IDPs "just like that" is "not a good one"

Head of the State Agency for Reconstruction and Development of Infrastructure Serhiy Sukhomlyn said that firstly, it is necessary to compensate IDPs for housing destroyed by the Russian war, but he criticized the idea of providing them with free apartments, given the experience of other countries. The official said this in an interview with LIGA.net.

The journalist asked whether the agency had an idea to build new towns or neighborhoods for IDPs or to expand existing settlements.

"If we're talking about new housing, the Ministry [of Community and Territorial Development], together with the European Investment Bank, is developing a project to build municipal housing. The pilot project is 6,500 apartments," Sukhomlyn said.

According to him, the idea is to build housing for internally displaced persons (IDPs) that could not be privatized but whose rent would be low.

"This is necessary to meet the communities' need for employees – teachers, trolleybus drivers, water utility workers. Complex construction of numerous housing will be possible only after the end of hostilities," the official explained.

Sukhomlyn believes that firstly, people should be compensated for the destroyed property, but he called the idea of giving apartments "just for free" "not very good," recalling foreign practice.

"We studied the experience of recovery in Serbia and Croatia. In Serbia, people who were given apartments lived there for seven to eight months and left to look for work in Europe, because housing alone does not provide anything. People need a job, normal education for children, security, and cultural development," the official said.

He added that it is much better to build housing near cities where there is work (for example, Vinnytsia) than to build it in a small district center where people "simply won't find themselves."

"Only a comprehensive recovery will make it possible to satisfy people," he concluded.

• In the same interview, Sukhomlyn said that after the war, Ukraine would have to adopt Korea's experience with the underground placement of critical infrastructure facilities to protect against missiles.
• Earlier, Prime Minister Svyrydenko said that IDPs who have the status of combatants or persons with disabilities as a result of the war will be able to apply for a housing voucher with a face value of UAH 2 million through Diia.