EU calls for speeding up verification process of e-declarations of Ukrainian politicians, high-ranking officials
EU Ambassador to Ukraine Hugues Mingarelli has said that the process of verifying electronic declarations of income and assets of politicians and high-ranking officials should be much faster and the National Agency for the Corruption Prevention (NACP) should find a solution to this issue.
"The process must be brought to a much higher pace, in hundreds if not thousands each month. A swift solution must be found for the NAPC to use automated methods for the verification of e-declarations and access to state registers to cross-check information submitted by the public officials has to be granted," Mingarelli responded to a corresponding request of the Interfax-Ukraine news agency.
He also said the NAPC is potentially a very effective tool in the fight against corruption.
"Much has been achieved in Ukraine on the fight against corruption. Now is high time for Ukraine to accelerate and intensify this effort," he said.
In addition, answering the question about the ongoing debates on establishment of anticorruption court or a chamber, he said, it is a matter of urgency that Ukraine puts in place a body responsible for the fight against corruption.
"Guarantees must be put in place that this body will be independent in both a budgetary and functional sense. It is necessary that body enjoys the necessary authority and resources to fight corruption and that the selection of specialized anti-corruption judges will happen in an open and transparent way," Mingarelli said.
The diplomat also said that Ukrainians should think about involving international partners in the process of creating and ensuring the proper functioning of such an anti-corruption body.
"The EU – and, I am sure, our international partners – stands ready to contribute to a process as transparent as possible and to ensure that the selection will be based on merit and integrity," the ambassador said.
Mingarelli also said that fair convictions and asset recovery are the only indicators which will demonstrate that Ukraine is getting serious in holding offenders accountable for corruption offenses.
