Ukraine's Health Ministry to introduce mandatory COVID-19 vaccination for civil servants and education workers, and toughen penalties for forging COVID certificates

The Health Ministry said mandatory vaccination is lawful, a position the European Court of Human Rights has also confirmed.

The Health Ministry intends to introduce mandatory coronavirus vaccination for civil servants and education workers, and plans to toughen penalties for forging COVID certificates.

Mandatory vaccination 

Ukraine's Ministry of Health will introduce mandatory vaccination against coronavirus for officials and education workers.

Health Minister Viktor Liashko said that, at this point, it is proposed to begin introducing mandatory vaccination for workers:

• of educational institutions;
• of ministries and other central executive bodies and their structural units;
• of local state administrations.

Liashko noted that this approach is lawful and provided for by Ukraine's current legislation.

Viktor Liashko
Minister of Health of Ukraine

Article 12 of the law on protecting the population from infectious diseases provides that workers in certain professions, industries and organizations whose activities may lead to their infection or to their spreading infectious diseases are subject to mandatory preventive vaccinations against the relevant infectious diseases.

According to the minister, the European Court of Human Rights confirmed in April this year the provision of Ukrainian national legislation that mandatory vaccination is lawful, may be necessary in democratic societies, and does not contradict the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.

Liability for forging COVID certificates

At its meeting, the Cabinet of Ministers also supported amendments to Ukraine's Criminal Code to establish liability for forging COVID certificates.

Denys Shmyhal
Prime Minister of Ukraine

Today we supported a bill amending the Criminal Code on liability for forging vaccination documents. Such irresponsible actions are a threat to the whole of society, and we will respond accordingly.

The document proposes introducing the following liability:

• a fine of 17,000 to 34,000 hryvnias or restriction of liberty for up to two years will be provided for those who knowingly use forged documents;
• a fine of 68,000 hryvnias or imprisonment for up to two years, with a ban on holding office for one to three years, is proposed for doctors who knowingly enter false information about vaccinations;
• a fine of 170,000 hryvnias or imprisonment for up to three years is proposed for forging such documents for the purpose of distribution.

The corresponding bill must also pass a vote in the Verkhovna Rada.