Donetsk, Apr 5 - DAN. The Donetsk People’s Republic hopes that Kiev will resume the payment of social benefits to Donbass residents, following the UNHCR Assistant High Commissioner for Operations’ statements, acting Donetsk People’s Republic Labour and Social Policy Minister Larisa Tolstykina said on Thursday.
“The issue of joint decision on the mechanism to restore economic ties remains open,” Tolstykina said. “We haven’t heard any proposals from Ukrainian officials.”
“Furthermore, Ukraine is continuing to pursue its anti-human policy towards the Republic’s residents, inventing increasingly sophisticated methods to combat the so-called “pension tourism,” she said. "The “tourists” as they call them are those who worked for the national economy for years, contributing to its development and success.”
After the weeklong visit to Ukraine, UNHCR Assistant High Commissioner for Operations George Ocoth-Obbo called for improving Donbass residents’ access to retirement benefits.
“It’s not the first such statement by UN officials, yet Ukraine views them as a recommendation, not a call to action,” Tolstykina said adding that “nevertheless, we hope that we’ll be able to move beyond slogans to meaningful actions in this issue.”
At the Contact Group meeting on Wednesday, DPR envoy to the Minsk talks Denis Pushilin urged the participants to support Ocoth-Obbo’s position.*jk