Head of the Delegation of the European Union to Ukraine, Ambassador Jan Tombinski has welcomed the adoption of bills on asset recovery and special confiscation and criticized bills on prosecution and e-declarations, which were passed by Ukraine's parliament in first reading on Tuesday, the Delegation has said in a statement.

"I welcome the adoption in the first reading of the legislation on asset recovery and management office (4056) and on assets seizure and special confiscation (4054). Both [draft] laws are in line with the EU standards and I look forward to see these versions confirmed in the second reading," the Delegation quoted Tombinski as saying.

At the same time, he says that the draft Law on Prosecution (4055) still contains too many discretional powers of the Prosecutor General to reject candidates for Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor, who are nominated by the independent Selection Commission. "Further amendments should address this issue in order to ensure full independence of the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor," he said.

He also says that the newly adopted draft Law on e-declarations (3755) is disappointing as it is not in line with anti-corruption commitments undertaken by the Ukrainian leadership. "Immediate action should be undertaken in order to install an effective system of verification of assets declarations and to ensure that National Agency for Prevention of Corruption is able to fulfill its mission to prevent and to uncover corruption," he said.