The members of Ukrainian National Platform of Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum are deeply concerned about the critical situation regarding the scale of corruption in Ukraine and its impact on social processes. Thus, in 2011 68 % of Ukrainian citizens were involved into corruption-related activities, though they admitted corruption is one of three most important problems of the state.
The Ukrainian bill “On Prevention and Counteraction to Corruption” which was adopted in 2011 was positively assessed by the Council of Europe and other international anti-corruption organizations and gives hope to the comprehensive modernization of state anti-corruption policy. Ukrainian National Platform welcomes the efforts of Viktor Yanukovych aimed at approval of National Anti-Corruption Strategy in 2011-2015, as well as at strengthening the role of National Anti-Corruption Committee, President of Ukraine, and appointment of the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine to the coordinator of state anti-corruption policy. These steps along with the national action plan on fighting corruption could lay the ground for implementation of anti-corruption reforms which are needed for Ukraine’s presence in the club of integral and economically developed European states.
Besides, National Platform is worried about a number of steps taken for the implementation of National Anti-Corruption Strategy.
- National plan of Ukraine regarding the Action Plan on Visa Liberalization for Ukraine by European Union in 2011 and an order of the President of Ukraine “On the Primary Actions for the Implementation of the bill “On Prevention and Counteraction to Corruption” envisaged the establishment of independent central authority body, which had to be responsible for the coordination of national anti-corruption policy. In return, as of March 27, 2012 such a body doesn’t exist in Ukraine and previously announced draft law on this topic was not submitted for consideration by the parliament.
- The implementation of State Programme on Prevention and Counteraction to Corruption (2011-2015), adopted in November, 2011 in accordance with National Anti-Corruption Strategy, is under threat of termination due to the absence of necessary resources for its implementation. In particular, it has already caused the delay for uncertain time of a single web-portal of administrative services operation by the Ministry for Economic Development.
- The creation of the single register of persons who committed corruption-related offenses is considered to be a progressive step aimed at implementation of effective control of unfair civil servants. Though, the constraints inherent in the bill “On Personal Data Protection” virtually level the importance of the register and negatively influence the way public perceives the authorities’ efforts in fighting corruption.
- The statements on conflict of interests and declaration of property, assets, and expenses of civil servants, included into the new anti-corruption legislature, should be welcomed and supported with all the possible measures. In return, the decision of Constitutional Court of Ukraine concerning the case # 1-14/2012 on 13.03.2012 levels the meaning of the above mentioned law and negates the concept of conflict of interests and the openness of data on the financial status of public servants.
Taking into consideration the above mentioned, the members of Ukrainian National Platform of Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum address the President of Ukraine as an author and coordinator of the National Anti-Corruption Strategy with the following demands:
- To submit as a pressing one the draft law on the specifically empowered state authority responsible for coordination of state anti-corruption policy for the consideration by the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine;
- to charge the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine to revise the scope and the sources of funding of the State Programme on Prevention and Counteraction to Corruption in 2011-2015;
- to charge the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine to elaborate the amendments to the Ukrainian bill “On Personal Data Protection” concerning the guaranteeing of the openness of data included in the Single register of the persons who committed corruption-related offenses;
- to take under personal control the process of concomitance of the bill on conflict of interests and the foundations of ethical behavior of civil servants in the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.
If the President’s team does not make allowances to these recommendations, the comprehensive implementation of National Anti-Corruption Strategy is threatened. This, in turn, alienates Ukraine from efficient anti-corruption reforms and the perspectives of membership in the European community.
