Saturday, August 22, 2015

Ukrainian Defense Ministry approves anti-corruption program for next two years

Ukrainian Defense Minister Stepan Poltorak has approved the anti-corruption program of his ministry for 2015-2017, the first such program among the major state ministries.

The anti-corruption program is a revolutionary new document, acting head of the department on fighting and identifying corruption at the Defense Ministry Viktor Honcharuk said at a briefing in Kyiv.

"It covers all spheres of military activities, its main efforts are focused on priority directions, among which are corruption risks which pose a threat to reforms in the defense sector. Especially, under the conditions of active war in eastern Ukraine," Honcharuk said.

This program stipulates four-level control of the observance of anti-corruption legislation, Honcharuk added. The fight against corruption will be monitored by the National Agency for the Prevention of Corruption, by the Verkhovna Rada Committees, while internal monitoring will be conducted by the commissions chaired by First Deputy Defense Minister.


Meanwhile, the program stipulates that the institute of independent social and international control, the expert anti-corruption monitoring committee, will control the implementation of the program.

The risk of corruption is extremely high in the defense sector, according to British advisor on military affairs Phil Jones.

"It is determined by huge financing and also by confidential information on several procurements.

According to the results of the investigation, there was [a huge amount of] corruption in the defense sector of the world in 2010, the total volume of which was valued at $20 billion. Besides, corruption in the military represents a direct threat to life," Jones said.

"The main enemy of corruption is openness and transparency. External monitoring and civil control are also important," Jones added.

According to the volunteers, the anti-corruption policy of the Defense Ministry must include these aspects: activities on predicting corruption, and examination of those wanting to work at the ministry, as well as current personnel, with the help of lie detectors and public control, Head of Council of Volunteers of the Defense Ministry David Arahamia said.

"The procedure of examining persons by a lie detector is expensive. This is precisely why we are determined to introduce experts at the Human Resources Department at the Ministry of Defense who will examine all candidates for the positions, using lie detectors. The U.S. presented to us one lie detector and all those, who will be establishing themselves at the Defense ministry, will undergo this procedure," Arahamia said.

As of today, around 700 individuals must undergo this procedure, Arahamia added.


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