Denmark will begin implementing the "anti-corruption initiatives of the EU in Ukraine" from February 1, Foreign Minister of Denmark Anders Samuelsen has said.

On February 1, Denmark will officially head the EU anti-corruption program in Ukraine. With a budget of 120 million Danish krones, we will be helping the Ukrainian government in its fight against corruption in the next three years, the article by the Danish foreign minister says, posted on the official page of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine on Facebook.

He also noted that Denmark will maintain a high level of support for reforms in Ukraine in the energy sector, good governance, decentralization and freedom of the media.

Together with the European Union we must to do what we can – both politically and economically - to support the reform process in Ukraine and the path to growth and prosperity. We need to support economic development and help create a more effective framework for the private sector in Ukraine, the diplomat said.

As reported, on November 24, Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze and EU Commissioner for European Neighborhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn signed the Agreement on funding the Anti-Corruption Initiative of the EU in Ukraine.

The overall budget for the implementation of the initiative amounts to EUR 16.34 million. The EU contributes EUR 15 million and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark co-finances with EUR 1.34 million.

The EU funds will be sent to enhance the capacities of public authorities responsible for fight against corruption – National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine, Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office, National Agency on Corruption Prevention, National Agency for Tracing, Recovery and Management of Crime Assets and ensuring the integrity of employees of other institutions of justice.

Anti-corruption initiative of the EU in Ukraine also aims to improve parliamentary oversight over the process of reforms and capacity of the Verkhovna Rada to analyze and improve the strategic and regulatory framework, including through the establishment of an international advisory board of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on preventing and combating corruption.

The initiative will involve civil society and the media in the implementation of anti-corruption measures, particularly through the promotion of "investigative journalism", and will cooperate with the relevant local authorities in the framework of the pilot project "Clean City" in order to demonstrate the positive changes that can bring an effective fight against corruption, the press service said.

Meeting these goals will enable creation in Ukraine of a single center supporting institutions which activities are aimed at combating corruption.