G7 and EU envoys expect Ukraine to ratify anti-corruption program ahead of EU-UA summit

The Group of Seven and the European Union ambassadors expect Ukraine to restore electronic tax declaration and approve the State Anti-Corruption Program.

These issues were discussed at a meeting of diplomats with the director of Ukraine's National Agency for Prevention of Corruption (NAPC), Oleksandr Novikov, held at the residence of the Japanese ambassador to Ukraine, the NAPC press service reports.

"We thank you for including the approval of the State Anti-Corruption Program to the priorities of the G7 ambassadors. The program ratification is key in further implementing Ukraine's Anti-Corruption Strategy, which will help Ukraine save up to UAH 200 billion [$5.8 billion] for taxpayers annually and overcome corruption in the areas most affected by corruption. And this can guarantee transparency in future processes related to reconstruction. The program aims to further strengthen anti-corruption institutions in Ukraine and implement EU anti-corruption standards in key areas of public life and the economy. This is another important step toward Ukraine's integration into the EU and NATO," Novikov said.

NAPC expects the Cabinet of Ministers to approve the project of the State Anti-corruption Program for 2023-2025 in the coming days.

Novikov also discussed with the G7 ambassadors the need to restore public servants' tax declaration and parties' financial reporting.

"Restoring declaration and political parties reporting are effective tools for preventing corruption and detecting facts of illegal enrichment and other corruption offenses. This becomes especially relevant from the viewpoint of Ukrainian officials' accountability for using aid funds from development partners. And recent high-profile events in our country demonstrate the need to restore these processes," the NAPC chief noted, adding that the relevant draft law has been under consideration by the Ukrainian parliament, Verkhovna Rada, since the fall.

He thanked the representatives of the G7 countries for their comprehensive support of Ukraine. He again emphasized that Kyiv has all the necessary tools to ensure transparency and accountability in the reconstruction process and assistance from partners.

Therefore, NAPC expects the fastest support from the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine and the Verkhovna Rada.

In turn, the ambassadors of the G7 countries and the EU expressed clear support for the speedy adoption of the State Anti-Corruption Program and the restoration of corruption prevention tools (electronic declaration and financial reporting of political parties). In particular, the EU ambassador to Ukraine, Matti Maasikas, said the adoption of the State Anti-Corruption Program "will be an excellent milestone that can be presented during the EU-Ukraine Summit," which will be held on February 3.

The ambassadors of the G7 countries and the EU promised to continue supporting anti-corruption reforms and the independence of Ukraine's anti-corruption bodies and also called for taking all necessary steps to ensure an effective and transparent process of receiving international aid during Ukraine's reconstruction.

Reference

Several Ukrainian officials have been dismissed or resigned over January 21-24 amid corruption allegations. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky pledged in a night video address to Ukrainians to take a zero-tolerance approach to corruption.

In total, fifteen senior officials have left their posts, six of whom have had corruption allegations discovered by journalists and Ukraine's anti-corruption bodies.