Head of international anti-corruption network Transparency International Jose Carlos Ugas Sanchez Moreno has emphasized that first of all Ukraine needs the political will of the state itself to implement anti-corruption legislation.
“We (Transparency International) had a talk with the Justice Minister [Minister of Justice of Ukraine Yuriy Petrenko] and we are pleased with the measures that have been taken in the anti-corruption reform. That’s good, but that’s only the beginning. If there is no political will and resources, then it won’t work,” Ugaz said during a joint briefing with the Minister of Justice Pavlo Petrenko in Kyiv on June 8.
According to him, international experience has shown that in many countries the newly established anti-corruption agencies didn’t cope with the tasks assigned to them, mainly, due to the fact that independence of these agencies wasn’t guaranteed, and there weren’t enough resources for their productive work.
“This is a guarantee of independence, the key to a good, effective work of anti-corruption bodies in Ukraine,” Ugaz said.
Jose Carlos Ugas Sanchez Moreno recalled that Transparency International is the largest anti-corruption network and it has offices in 114 countries. He assured that Transparency International is ready to cooperate with the Ukrainian authorities in supporting the implementation of anti-corruption legislation in Ukraine.
“The experience has shown that the disclosure of officials’ property declarations is a good practice, but this is not enough if unlawful enrichment of top-ranking officials is not investigated ,” Ugaz noted.
“We have already told the president of Ukraine and reiterated once again the Minister of Justice of Ukraine that we, as an international organization, are willing to be partners in the work, but we will monitor and watch on how the legislation is adopted. Transparency International can’t bring the funds back that were stolen by President Yanukovych [former President of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych], as it was written on the website of the president of Ukraine, but we can provide an assistance in these issues, help in dealing with other countries to ensure that it is investigated to find Yanukovich’s assets,” the head of Transparency International said.
