Ukraine must eliminate obstacles to effectively implement anti-corruption reforms | WPN World People News

Ukraine has made considerable progress in the area of anti-corruption reform but faces significant challenges to implement some important tools for combating corruption, according to a recent OECD report.

The OECD Progress Update on Ukraine highlights encouraging steps made by Ukraine to implement essential anti-corruption reforms. These include important institutional improvements to the National Anti-Corruption Bureau and the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office; the successful launch of the new online public procurement system, ProZorro; the disclosure of information about beneficial owners of publicly registered companies; the adoption of the Law on the National Agency for detection, investigation and management of assets derived from corruption and other crimes; and on-going civil service reform along with the launch of judiciary reform.

Looking ahead, the OECD Progress Update recommends that Ukraine strengthen enforcement of corporate liability legislation and adopt the Law on Administrative Procedure without further delay.

Participants attending a plenary meeting where the report was discussed also raised other areas of concern, including the launch of the new electronic asset declarations system that monitors the incomes and assets of government officials and could be a potential powerful tool to prevent corruption. Further concerns were raised about plans to introduce a so-called one time or “zero” assets declaration that would enable Ukrainian officials to avoid criminal liability for illicit enrichment. But at the same time, participants also highlighted the good work of the Business Ombudsman Office of Ukraine and the key role played by civil society in pushing Ukraine's anti-corruption reforms.

The OECD strongly recommends that Ukraine eliminate any obstacles preventing the effective implementation of the electronic assets declarations system, and ensure that it is in line with international standards and in compliance with OECD recommendations. The OECD will continue to closely monitor the implementation of this recommendation in the next round of monitoring of Ukraine, which begins in October 2016.

Source: Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development