From January 1, 2025, several important laws will come into force in Ukraine, which will significantly affect the lives of citizens and the country’s economy.
Fuel prices will increase due to a gradual increase in excise taxes to EU levels. Gasoline will rise in price by 1.50 UAH/l (excise duty – 271.7 euros/1000 l), diesel fuel – 2 UAH/l (215.7 euros/1000 l), gas – 1.30 UAH/l (173 euros/1000 ) l).
Cigarette prices may also rise. In December 2024, the Verkhovna Rada increased the excise tax on tobacco products. With this bill, the excise tax on cigarettes is tied to the euro, not the hryvnia.
It is expected that from 2025 the cost of a pack of cigarettes will increase by about 40 hryvnia. However, the president has not yet signed this law.
Due to the increase in military taxes, entrepreneurs will pay new taxes.
Individual entrepreneurs of groups I, II and IV must pay a military tax of 10% based on one minimum salary per month (currently 800 UAH).
Individual entrepreneurs of group III will pay 1% of turnover based on the results of the first quarter of 2025.
IDPs who rent housing in the controlled territory of Ukraine and spend more than 20% of their total family income on rent will be entitled to an appropriate subsidy.
The conditions for retirement are changing. Ukrainians who in 2025 turned 60 years old (with at least 32 years of insurance experience), 63 years old (22 years of experience), 65 years old (15 years of experience) will have the right to receive an old-age pension.
From January, teachers will receive a monthly salary supplement of 1,000 hryvnia after tax.
From September 2025, the additional payment will be 2000 hryvnia. Teachers will have this bonus until the end of martial law.
Paid services in medical institutions will be introduced from January 1 in medical institutions, including those that are not covered by the Medical Guarantee Program will become paid. First of all, this is necessary to combat informal payments.
Citizens will pay in the following cases:
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in case of treatment without a doctor’s referral (when it is required);
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in case of provision of medical services under contracts with legal entities;
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in health care institutions of the security and defense sector and the State Administration, if the patient is from outside;
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in the case of providing medical services at home at the request of the patient, if this is not due to his condition;
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for the opportunity to choose a doctor in a hospital;
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for a room with increased comfort at the patient’s request.
Paid services must be issued, and payment for them will be in cashless form.
At the same time, the provision of primary and emergency medical care does not require any referral. Without a referral, free of charge (if the hospital has an agreement with the NHSU), you can contact an obstetrician-gynecologist, psychiatrist, narcologist, dentist, pediatrician, or phthisiatrician. The list also includes the doctor under whose supervision the patient with the disease is.
Changes in the “automobile citizenship” will also start on January 1. Ukrainians who will take out compulsory car insurance in the new year will do so according to updated rules. In particular, the limits of payments for damage to life and health will increase to 500 thousand hryvnia, and to property – to 250 thousand hryvnia.
Insurers will be able to independently determine the cost of the policy; it will depend on the driver’s personal history. The price increase is expected to be around 25-30%. At the same time, all categories of beneficiaries will be able to receive a 50% discount.
In general, the law provides for a gradual increase in the amount of insurance amounts to those available in the EU, as well as the expansion of the application of the “Euro protocol”.
Tariffs for the delivery of domestic mail from Ukrposhta are changing, and as a result of the liquidation of MSEC, the procedure for registering disability is changing.
In Ukraine, from January 1, the cost of issuing passports will increase. The reason is the increase in prices for forms of individual documents.
Documents will be produced at the following prices:
- A passport of a citizen of Ukraine (ID-card) for the first time is free.
- Passport of a citizen of Ukraine (ID card) up to 20 working days – 558 UAH.
- Passport of a citizen of Ukraine (ID card) up to 10 working days – 928 UAH.
- Passport of a citizen of Ukraine for traveling abroad for up to 20 working days – 1042 UAH.
- Passport of a citizen of Ukraine for traveling abroad for up to seven working days – 1682 UAH.
- Permanent residence permit in Ukraine – 1175 UAH.
- Temporary residence permit in Ukraine – 1080 UAH.
Citizens of Ukraine who paid for administrative services and submitted applications for documents before December 31, 2024, will receive documents at the old price.
The same persons who paid for administrative services before December 31, 2024, but have not yet submitted an application for paperwork, will be able to make an additional payment at the rates in effect at the time of submitting the relevant applications.
Instead of conscription, basic military service is being introduced in Ukraine, and students will be required to undergo basic military training.
Ukraine stopped the transit of Russian gas through its territory on January 1. Ukrainian Energy Minister German Galushchenko called the end of gas transit a “historic event” and said that Russia is losing its markets and suffering financial damage.
On January 1, 2025, Ukraine became the 125th full state party to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Source: Racurs
I am David Wyatt, a professional writer and journalist for Buna Times. I specialize in the world section of news coverage, where I bring to light stories and issues that affect us globally. As a graduate of Journalism, I have always had the passion to spread knowledge through writing.