The authorities are working to return the legislative provision on the possible seizure of property of corrupt officials who have agreed with the investigation, Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine, Minister of Justice Olha Stefanishyna said.

"We in the government are concerned, as are our European partners. But we were talking about two priority laws that were adopted fairly quickly one after the other. We are working to bring this norm back," Stefanishyna told journalists in Kyiv on Monday, answering a question Interfax-Ukraine whether European partners were concerned about the Ukrainian parliament cancelling the provision on possible confiscation of property of corrupt officials who made a plea bargain with the investigation.

According to the Deputy Prime Minister, this situation is "a technical ricochet, not a political exception to the article."

As reported, on October 29, the Verkhovna Rada improved the issue of concluding plea bargains with the investigation on recognizing guilt in criminal proceedings for corruption-related offenses and criminal offenses related to corruption. In particular, according to the law, in the event of a plea bargain (in corruption-related crimes), a punishment in the form of confiscation of property may be imposed. It was noted that the adoption of the law, among other things, was necessary for Ukraine to participate in negotiations on joining the European Union and to receive EUR 4 billion under Ukraine Facility.

On November 14, the European Commission agreed to allocate EUR 4.1 billion to Ukraine under Ukraine Facility.

On November 20, the Verkhovna Rada adopted in its entirety bill No. 11410 on depriving traitors of Ukraine of state awards. This document, among other things, abolished the norm that regulated that in the event of release from probation due to conviction on the basis of a plea agreement for a corruption criminal offense, an additional penalty in the form of confiscation may also be imposed.