The Parliamentary Committee on National Security, Defense, and Intelligence recommended that the Verkhovna Rada adopt, at first reading, a bill aimed at regulating innovation management in the security and defense sector, committee member Iryna Friz (from the European Solidarity faction) has said.
"The committee reviewed the main bill No. 15215 on amending certain laws regarding the innovative activities of the defense forces and its alternative version (No. 15215-1). Following the review, the committee recommended that parliament adopt bill No. 15215 as the basis and reject the alternative bill," Friz told Interfax-Ukraine after the committee meeting on Thursday.
The MP said she did not support the committee's decision, as she believes that provisions in the main bill require the elimination of overlapping authorities among various entities. According to Friz, certain provisions of the bill do not comply with the principle of legal certainty, particularly those that allow the Ministry of Defense to independently determine which agency or institution will implement innovation policy in the defense sector.
Under the bill, the changes call for the creation of a special innovation body within the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine (a structural unit, a military command, or an authorized institution/business entity). It is envisaged that this body will directly coordinate the innovation activities of all defense forces, monitor and select promising developments, and analyze problems requiring innovative solutions.
In addition, the draft law proposes introducing a mechanism for direct interaction between "the Front and the Developer." The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine will be tasked with collecting and transmitting information on current frontline challenges, organizing tests of the latest weapon systems, and analyzing the experience of their actual use.
According to the bill, for the duration of martial law, the government is required to approve a special procurement procedure for innovative activities, and information regarding the procurement of innovative services, applied research, and prototypes will be protected from premature disclosure in the electronic system for security reasons.
