ON THE ISSUE OF IMPLEMENTING THE PRINCIPLE OF BARRIER-FREE ACCESS TO PUBLIC SERVICES FOR VETERANS

Abstract

The article examines the legal and organizational foundations for implementing the principle of barrier-free access to public services for veterans. The current legislation of Ukraine, which defines guarantees and the procedure for providing public services in the fields of social protection, healthcare, rehabilitation, education, employment, and housing, is analyzed. It is established that the regulatory framework in the field of veteran policy has been formed; however, the practical implementation of its provisions requires further improvement. It is found that public services for veterans are provided by different public authorities on the basis of numerous legal acts, which leads to repeated applications and the submission of identical documents. The necessity of improving the legal regulation of procedures for the provision of public services is substantiated, in particular through the preparation of a new version of the Law of Ukraine «On the Status of War Veterans and Guarantees of Their Social Protection», simplification of requirements for submitting applications and documents, and clarification of the interaction between public authorities. Special attention is paid to organizational measures aimed at creating conditions for barrier-free access to services at the level of territorial communities. The introduction of the institution of a «veteran assistant» and specialized social workers for veteran support is proposed as a tool for coordinating applications and ensuring individual assistance. It is concluded that the combination of improved legal regulation and the implementation of organizational mechanisms will ensure a more accessible and structured procedure for veterans to receive public services. It is further emphasized that the development of integrated digital platforms and interagency data exchange systems would significantly reduce administrative barriers and enhance the transparency and efficiency of service delivery for veterans. The study also highlights the importance of strengthening coordination between public authorities and local communities to ensure the consistent implementation of barrier-free principles in practice.