Anti-corruption reform should bring the first results this year already

At the National Council of Reforms, which discusses the anti-corruption reform, President Petro Poroshenko said that the legal framework for fighting corruption had been created and currently the establishment of appropriate infrastructure and formation of anti-corruption personnel was being held.

The President stressed that the anti-corruption reform had been the main reform awaited by the public.

"Basically, we formed a legal framework for fighting corruption. Now, we need to create appropriate infrastructure and, on the basis of rigid transparent competitive selection, form the backbone of honest and incorruptible law enforcers willing to go to the end. Their work shouldn’t be obstructed by any political pressure or lack of political will," Petro Poroshenko said.

We must ensure a quick and efficient start of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau, and form the anti-corruption prosecutor's office as soon as possible," the Head of State said. The President is confident that this will have been done by the end of the year, and the anti-corruption prosecutor will be appointed in November. "Detectives can prepare relevant developments to have the first results of their work already this year," Petro Poroshenko noted. The President noted the importance of institutional steps taken - creation of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau and Anti-Corruption Agency, formation of new prosecutorial staff.

The President commended the decision of the Parliament, which delegated its representatives to the Commission, which must determine the leadership of the specialized anti-corruption prosecutor's office.

The President noted the fact that the faction of the Bloc of Petro Poroshenko had voted for representatives who often criticized him. "In fact, it is easy to criticize, but it is the right step to unite and work together on a common result," President Poroshenko emphasized.

Among successful anti-corruption steps, the President mentioned the work of volunteer troops in the Ministry of Defense and transition to subthreshold electronic procurement system.

"The law on increasing transparency in property relations accelerates the creation of effective system aimed to prevent corruption. It enhances financial control over the assets and income of officials. Access to the registers of owners of movable and immovable property will be opened in early October, and we will not allow the delay," he said.

However, he said, the war against corruption was started, but there are still no tangible victories.

"It is not enough to reveal, detain, dismiss and initiate criminal proceedings. We will no longer accept these reports. Ukrainian people require strict and inevitable criminal penalties for corruption. Corrupt officials must be in jail," the President said.

In this context, he noted the role of judges who are often corrupt themselves. The Head of State called the MPs to submit the proposals of public organizations that provide for a radical renewal of the judiciary for consideration by the Venice Commission.

"The main thing is to ensure that corrupt officials are brought to justice. We must do everything to prevent the loss of faith in the effective fight against corruption and ensure an appropriate outcome," he said.

The President urged the Parliament to consider and approve the law that will prohibit the release on bail of civil servants, especially senior officials, suspected of corruption.

The President stressed that the anti-corruption reform should not be limited only to the punishment of corrupt officials. It also provides for the prevention of corruption, elimination of opportunities and reasons to take bribes. "It's also an information and education. We must shift a paradigm in citizens and businesses, make them believe that corruption is dangerous and ethically unacceptable. There cannot be tolerance to corruption in society," Petro Poroshenko emphasized.

The President noted that the results of the anti-corruption reform must be noticed by Ukrainians, our foreign partners and investors who will actively invest in the Ukrainian economy, which will contribute to further economic growth.

The President also focused on the Law on budget financing of political parties, stressing that if the Parliament adopts this law, he will sign it without a delay. "It is cheaper for the country to maintain the parties at the cost of the state budget than to bear huge losses from political corruption caused by the material dependence of the party projects on oligarchic structures," the Head of State noted.

The President drew the attention of the Minister of Economic Development and Trade to the need to accelerate the process of deregulation. "The smaller the role of the state in the economy and human life, the less opportunities officials will have to demand bribes", he said.

"I insist on speedy, fair and transparent privatization of state enterprises. I consider myself a follower of economic school, which believes the state a priori cannot be an effective owner. I am convinced that the Government has the same views on privatization and there is no excuse that the Parliament does not make relevant decisions blocking these extremely important processes," the President stressed.

Speaking about the issue of wage of civil servants, the President said: "We are not such a rich country to have such cheap officials. Corruption risks of such policy are too high. We either learn to speak honestly with people, or move to this side of shadow economy as well".

As for the abolition of parliamentary immunity, the President noted that his draft amendments to the Constitution had been endorsed by the Constitutional Court and somehow disappeared in the archives of the Verkhovna Rada. “I emphasize that every MP must be responsible for this. The same thing with the judicial immunity. The Prosecutor General’s Office must do everything for Ukraine to have no more people protected from prosecution for offenses committed,” the President emphasized.

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