Ukraine’s Fight Against Corruption is in Progress

In 2014 after the Revolution of Dignity Ukraine launched an ambitious reform agenda. Fundamental changes were crucial for the future of the country and long-awaited by the society. One of the vital reforms was eradication of corruption.

Ukraine started its fierce fight against corruption in hard times full of challenges including Russian military aggression. As of December 2016, Ukraine has made a major breakthrough in fighting corruption.

A NEW SYSTEM OF ANTI-CORRUPTION AGENCIES WAS ESTABLISHED. In particular this includes :

• National Anticorruption Bureau (NABU)
• Special Anticorruption Prosecution body 
• National Agency on Corruption Prevetion.

Ukraine works closely with its international partners to introduce the best anti-corruption practises. International experience and support to our efforts is of paramount importance.

New institutions have already shown the first results of their work:

• 25 criminal cases have been submitted to the courts
• 245 cases are under investigation
• 100 persons have been notified of the suspicion that they are involved in committing corruption related crimes
• 411 million UAH, 75.45 million USD and 7.1 million EUR has already been confiscated. In addition two property complexes, 94 plots of land, 50 non-residential buildings, 37 apartments, and 35 vehicles including two aircraft, have also been seized.

UKRAINE INTRODUCED UNIQUE E-DECLARATIONS SYSTEM

With a revolutionary e-declaration system more than 100 000 civil servants (in particular MPS, judges, prosecutors, members of the Cabinet of Ministers and other high-ranked officials) made all their assets transparent and accessible for public scrutiny.

On October 30, 2016, the first stage of e-declaration process was completed in Ukraine:

• e-declaration is obligatory for all Ukrainian civil servants
• 103.000 asset declarations were submitted by high-ranked officials
• other declarants to submit declarations from January 1 to April 1, 2017.

As one of the most progressive systems in Europe, e-declaration has become a turning point in enhancing transparency and accountability of the public authorities, as well as another confirmation of the irreversibility of the fight against corruption in Ukraine.

The free accessible Register of civil servants’ assets makes Ukrainian society –voters, media, NGOs — real watchdogs over politicians and officials.

The present stage of e-declarations process does not presume the legalization of the present income, assets and property. Next steps will include:

• verification of paid taxes
• verification of legitimacy of all stakes, inducing cash, property or vehicles;
•  bringing to justice those, who have received those stakes by corrupt means.

CORRUPTION PREVENTION

To ensure the long-term success of the fight against corruption Ukraine is also taking steps to improve the functioning of organisations where the risk of corruption is high, including agencies in judiciary, public procurement, state-owned enterprises, energy etc.

NEW PUBLIC E-PROCUREMENT SYSTEM PROZORRO MADE PUBLIC PROCUREMENT PROCEDURES TRANSPARENT AND FAIR.

The Law “On Public Procurement” became operational and now state procurement switched to the ProZorro procurement initiative. 

It establishes e-procurement for all public procurements of goods and services, thus increasing competition and reducing corruption. This step correlates with the best European practices in this domain and is a true novelty in Ukraine.

On 7 December 2016, ProZorro took the first place at the third annual Open Government Awards 2016 ceremony in Paris.

This is only the beginning. What we have done is an important step in fighting corruption and restoring trust between taxpayers and civil servants. 

There is still much work ahead. But we are committed to pursue a comprehensive reform agenda to root out corruption and reform our country.