The creation of a financial inclusion bank has become the focal point of the Ukrainian financial market. The Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine has stated its position in the ongoing dispute between the National Bank and Ukrposhta: the ministry declared that it does not matter in principle who becomes the operator of the new institution. The main criterion remains the ability to ensure access to money in remote corners of the country.
Brand doesn't matter, accessibility does
In response to a request from RBC-Ukraine, which covered the conflict under the headline "Battle for Inclusion or Battle of Ambitions?", the Ministry of Social Policy gave a clear answer. For the ministry, the brand of the company taking on the functions of the new bank is not important. The key factors are network coverage, its reliability, and barrier-free access.
"For the ministry, the principle is not the brand of the operator, but the network coverage, its reliability, barrier-free access, and the ability to serve people where other financial institutions are not present," the ministry emphasized.
Evaluation criteria: not quantity, but coverage
Official representatives of the ministry explained that the scale of the new project should be assessed not through the prism of the number of potential clients, but through the level of real accessibility of services. The priority remains ensuring the timely receipt of pensions for all citizens, regardless of place of residence, state of health, or digital skills.
To determine the areas where the problem is most acute, the Ministry of Social Policy suggests relying on the following indicators:
- The number of settlements where there are no bank branches;
- The number of pensioners in these locations;
- The availability of the postal network;
- Transportation conditions;
- The possibility of serving people with limited mobility.
Vulnerable groups and difficult territories
Special attention in the statement was paid to the specifics of social benefit recipients. A significant part of this audience consists of elderly people, persons with disabilities, and people with limited mobility. Moreover, it concerns residents of rural areas, frontline, and de-occupied territories. It is in these regions that banking infrastructure is often completely absent, making the issue of inclusion critically important.
Freedom of choice for citizens
The ministry also emphasized that the appearance of a new specialized bank should not limit the rights of citizens. The population must retain the right to independently choose the most convenient way to receive a pension.
The statement by the Ministry of Social Policy came against the backdrop of a protracted conflict between the National Bank of Ukraine and Ukrposhta. The General Director of Ukrposhta, Ihor Smylyansky, has been promoting the idea of creating a bank based on the postal company for several years, relying on its all-Ukrainian network. At the same time, the NBU opposes such a scenario, fearing possible risks and competition. While regulators argue, the Ministry of Social Policy insists: the main thing is that the money reaches the addressee.