The Verkhovna Rada Adopts Bill to Abolish Criminal Liability for Small Thefts
The Verkhovna Rada has adopted as the basis a bill that provides for the abolition of criminal liability for small thefts and the establishment of significant fines with the possibility of alternative community service. This was reported by UNN with reference to MP Yaroslav Zhelezniak and the bill No. 11068. 265 deputies voted for this bill.
According to the document, for small thefts (up to 757 hryvnias), the fine will range from 170 to 850 hryvnias, or community service for 20-30 hours, or administrative arrest for up to 5 days. Repeat offenses will be punished by a fine of 850 to 5100 hryvnias, or community service for 30-40 hours, or corrective labor for a month taking into account 20% of earnings, or administrative arrest for 5-10 days.
The bill also stipulates that a small theft will be considered significant if the value of the stolen property at the time of the offense does not exceed 3 non-taxable minimum incomes of citizens, which is 4542 hryvnias.
Furthermore, for repeat offenses within a year, a fine ranging from 5100 to 8500 hryvnias is envisaged. Currently, criminal liability arises for theft of property worth more than 302.8 hryvnias.
