The public union Manifest 42 launched the register https://manifest42.com.ua, announced this summer, which will include persons who abused power to put pressure on business, said co-founder of Manifest 42 Oleksandr Sokolovsky, Chairman of the Light Industry Employers' Organization.

“In no case do we undertake to replace judicial and disciplinary authorities. We are talking about the institution of reputation. Together with legislative changes and other initiatives of Manifest 42, the register is aimed at overcoming the problem of impunity for individuals who grossly abuse power,” he said at a press conference at the Interfax-Ukraine agency in Kyiv on Thursday.

According to him, the Manifest 42 register is a response from business to the arbitrariness of the rear security forces and officials putting pressure on business.

Sokolovsky clarified that the procedure for inclusion in the register involves several stages: verification by Manifest 42 specialists of documents indicating abuse of power to put pressure on business, public investigations in reputable media and approval by the supervisory board of Manifest 42 of the collected information as sufficient to include a specific person in the register.

The exppert added that inclusion in the register of Manifest 42 will mean for a person the beginning of a public-initiated procedure for bringing to justice, which involves tools of public pressure through the media, the involvement of professional lawyers, as well as disciplinary commissions provided for by law under law enforcement agencies.

Chairman of the board of Manifest 42 Serhiy Pozniak noted at the press conference that today 74% of criminal cases against businesses in Ukraine are initiated by law enforcement officers without further transfer to court with an indictment.

According to him, this is the worst indicator since the publication of the relevant statistics: in 2018, some 32% of 6,334 proceedings on economic activities reached the court, in 2019 - 28% of 5,947, in 2020 - 30% of 5,342, in 2021 - 39% of 5,469, in 2022 - 33% of 3,414, while in January-November 2023 - 26% of 4,249.

“The record high proportion of pending cases indicates that the rear security forces are using flimsy reasons to put pressure on businesses for corruption. These cases lie motionless for years, are continued by the courts almost automatically, and are passed on from investigator to investigator by inheritance in order to force businesses to pay bribes,” states Pozniak.

In his opinion, until the share of pending criminal cases is at a historical minimum, there is no need to talk about progress in overcoming the problem of corruption pressure on business.

Manifest 42 is a social movement created by business in the summer of 2023. The stated goal is to protect from arbitrariness of rear security forces, corrupt officials and judges, 'black' notaries and registrars.

The manifesto was signed by 42 representatives of enterprises and investors, including Head of the Association of Entrepreneurs of ATO Veterans Serhiy Pozniak, General Director of Concorde Capital Ihor Mazepa, co-owner of Nemiroff Yakov Gribov, CEO of OKKO Vasyl Danyliak, President of Obolon Oleksandr Slobodian, co-owner of Dobrobut clinics Oleh Kalashnikov, the heads of Farmak Filya Zhebrovska and Astarta Viktor Ivanchyk, Serhiy Sypko from Agrofusion.

Article 42 of the Constitution of Ukraine states that everyone has the right to entrepreneurial activity not prohibited by law. The entrepreneurial activities of MPs, officials of state authorities and local governments are limited by law. The state ensures protection of competition in business activities.