International Anti-Corruption Body Commends Ukraine for Fighting Corruption

KYIV, Ukraine, April 13, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Ukraine in 2010 has made significant progress in building an effective national anti-corruption mechanism, conclude the experts of the International Association of Anti-Corruption Authorities (IAACA).

IAACA is a non-governmental organization established as a result of the special meeting at the UN Office in Vienna in 2006 with an objective to promote effective implementation of the UN Convention against Corruption. Ukraine ratified the Convention in October 2006.

Ye Feng, Secretary General of the IAACA, in his letter to President Yanukovych, said that active participation of the Ukrainian law enforcement bodies, the Association of Prosecutor General of Ukraine and the Ukrainian Association of Prosecutors have achieved remarkable successes in fighting corruption. It is indicative that their efforts have been really concentrated on fighting corruption in state power of the highest level and it is the first time since the declaration of independence, when high-ranking public officials have become subject to anti-corruption checks and investigations, stated the letter.

The IAACA welcomed the openness and transparency of the Ukrainian anti-corruption bodies while carrying out the abovementioned investigations, as well as the participation of specialists from world-renowned audit and judicial companies in conducting the financial checks.

We fully support the "All are equal before the law" slogan declared by President Viktor Yanukovych, and believe it is fair, IAACA Secretary General, Ye Feng said.

Back in 2009, Ukraine ranked 146th among 180 countries in Transparency International's Corruption Perception Index (CPI). In 2010 it already occupied 134th position among 178 countries-participants of Transparency International's CPI. Some of the major concerns of Transparency International last year have been the absence of law on accessing information and the issue of corruption.

Earlier in 2011, Ukraine has adopted the Law on Access to Public Information which expanded the rights of citizens to obtain information from public bodies, and increased the protection of journalists who performed their duties.

In April this year,Ukraine adopted the new law On Principles of Prevention and Combating Corruption in Ukraine, stipulating that government officials and their close relatives now are obliged to declare their income and, what is more important, any expenses that exceed their income and publish such financial declarations in the official press.