European Commission: Ukraine has limited progress in fight against corruption – Enlargement Package
Ukraine has a certain level of preparation in the fight against corruption, "limited progress" was achieved over the past year, the European Commission concluded in its annual report Enlargement Package, which was published by the European Commission on Tuesday in Brussels.
"The Parliament adopted a law in July, dismantling important safeguards for the independence of NABU and SAPO and putting their operational work under the authority of the politically appointed Prosecutor General. These amendments would have severely weakened Ukraine’s anticorruption framework. The independence of NABU and SAPO was swiftly restored following domestic protests and strong concerns voiced by international partners," the document notes.
"Anticorruption institutions and civil society organisations report about growing pressure from state institutions, including through criminal investigations by law enforcement and security agencies. Overall, these developments cast doubts on Ukraine’s commitment to its anticorruption agenda. Ukraine should advance its anti-corruption framework and prevent any backsliding on its notable reform achievements. Procedural delays and obstructions in highlevel corruption proceedings should be addressed. Statutes of limitation and the grounds for their interruption and suspension should be reviewed and adjusted, in line with European standards," the document notes.
The European Commission, in particular, recommends preserving the independence of anti-corruption institutions; expanding the jurisdiction of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) to cover all high-risk public positions; and introducing reliable safeguards against interference in the work of NABU and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO).
It is noted that further consolidation of experience in corruption cases is needed, including the arrest and confiscation of criminal assets, with a focus on high-level officials and cases with significant impact; the expansion of the range of persons required to submit asset declarations; and the simplification and improvement of procedures for verifying asset declarations. It is also recommended to strengthen the capacity of the National Agency on Corruption Prevention (NACP) and focus its work on detecting unjustified enrichment.
In addition, according to the Ukraine Plan, it is recommended to increase the number of judges and administrative staff in the High Anti-Corruption Court (HACC), and to develop and adopt an Anti-Corruption Strategy and a State Anti-Corruption Program.
