Headline: Ukrposhta‘s Voluntary Donation System Raises Concerns and Clarifications
Article:
In an unexpected turn of events, State-owned "Ukrposhta" has implemented a system where 1 Ukrainian hryvnia is automatically added to each parcel delivery fee, purportedly for the benefit of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) via the "Kyiv School of Economics" (KSE) charity fund. This revelation has sparked debate and clarifications from both lawmakers and the company’s executive.
Nina Южанина, a National Deputy and member of the parliamentary committee, broke the news via her Telegram channel. She expressed concern that this 1 hryvnia fee is mandatory, with no opt-out option, and that the ultimate beneficiary, the KSE charity fund, is headed by Timofey Milovanov, who also serves as its founder. Южанина estimated that this system could potentially generate an annual income of 50 million hryvnias for the fund, based on the volume of parcels handled by Ukrposhta in 2023.
In response,شتیар Ukrposhta, Ihor Смелянський, addressed these concerns via his Telegram account. He clarified that the automatic donation system was necessary due to Ukrposhta’s status as a state-owned enterprise, which prevents it from engaging in direct charity activities. Thus, they partnered with the KSE Foundation to facilitate aid to the AFU, bomb shelters, orphanages, and hospitals. Смелянський underscored that all donations are voluntary and can be opted out of by customers.
Recent Ukrposhta developments include the introduction of new tariffs for parcel delivery, effective January 1, 2025, where rates will be based solely on volume, not weight. Additionally, the company updated its packaging requirements in November 2024 to align with new, automated sorting lines.
End of Article
