Ukraine Makes Another Step Toward Transparency

KYIV, July 27, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

Starting 2014, any public service in Ukraine will be available online, informs The State Agency for Science, Innovation and Information. Currently, the government of Ukraine is implementing the initiative Open Government Partnership (OGP), after joining it in September 2011 along with 54 other participating countries. Online public services will reduce time and resources spent by clients to obtain a service, as well as help prevent corruption.

By October 2012 Ukraine will introduce electronic document management system in public institutions, informs the State Agency. Previously, the use of hard copies of the documents had been mandatory.

To increase public service transparency the Ukrainian government will also introduce the National Center for Utility Payments Management, as well as a united web portal for public services by the end of 2012. In 2013, it is planned to establish online procurement system for the government agencies, according to the State Agency.

Ukraine committed to Open Government Partnership right at the time when the initiative was launched by the eight founding states: Brazil, Indonesia, Mexico, Norway, Philippines, South Africa, the UK, and the USA. Ukraine's efforts in the OGP framework to date include a wide range of regulations.

OGP website lists adoption of a law on access to public information (January 2012) as one of them. "Introducing international standards of openness, the said Law is a yet another real step by the nation on its way to integrating with the international community," reads the website.

Among other measures, in July 2011Ukraine introduced the law on prevention and combating corruption. It received a positive review from the Group of States against corruption (GRECO).  Another anticorruption effort, highlighted by OGP, is the National Anti-Corruption Strategy for 2011-2015, approved by the President of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych in October 2011.

The country also made progress in improving quality of administrative services. The reduction of the number of documents necessary for obtaining public services is one of such steps. Paid public services saw 44 percent cut, while commercial entities are no longer allowed to provide public services.

Additionally, Ukraine stepped up e-government development by adoption of the respective concept and launching the National E-Government Center in 2010. Furthermore, national economic reform program Prosperous Society, Competitive Economy, Efficient Government includes e-government principles.