State officials failed to respond to Bukvy information request about deferements for the staff of Ukraine’s presidential office and Ukrzaliznytsya after the martial law mobilization announced by Volodymyr Zelensky on February 24.

The information request was sent to Ukraine’s economy ministry and Zelensky’s presidential office as Bukvy tried to find how deferments work for the the personnel of presidential office and state railroad operator, Ukrzaliznytsya.

Temporary, up to 6 months, exemptions from the military draft were introduced by Ukraine’s government directive #194 on March 3,2022. It allowed to Economy Ministry to grant so-called ‘shield deferral’ to state officials, local government workers, and personnel of some  businesses in case their work is viewed as vital.

The Law on Access to Public Information stipulates that information requests should be given an answer within 20 days.  The Bukvy request about deferments for state officials was lodged on April 8, but it was never answered, which makes it a violation under art. 212  of Law on Access to Public Information.