Analyst: “…we argue that the [High Anti-Corruption] Court’s creation is more important than next year’s elections since most of the candidates represent the current system and are unlikely to change it, which would mean another five years of stagnation.”
KYIV, Feb 22, 2018 - The Ukrainian government lost momentum in 2017 in fighting corruption, rising only one position on the Corruption Perceptions Index last year compared to two positions in the previous year, Concorde Capital informed its clients today in an online advisory. The information came in the latest results of Transparency International’s annual survey that were published on Feb. 21. Overall, Ukraine ranked 130 out of 180 countries, the survey said. “Ukraine’s slow growth in the index, in which its growth dynamics were effectively reduced by half, is due to such factors as the government’s lack of political will to engage in a decisive fight against corruption, as well as the low level of public trust in Ukraine’s courts and prosecutors,” the survey reported. “Another point that cannot be overlooked is the constant legislative initiatives submitted by parliament that threaten the newly created anti-corruption infrastructure.” At the same time, Ukraine improved its position owing to the work of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau and Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecution, the work of the e-declarations register, reforms in state procurement following the launch of the ProZorro e-procurement system, and reforms and deregulation of the national gas market, the survey said, which also cited reduced corruption in police and fewer incidents of bribery. Several corruption scandals surfaced this week in Ukraine drawing international attention. The EU has decided to conclude an unfinished EUR 29 mln project to modernize its six border crossings with Ukraine, citing delays, errors and overspending, the Reuters news agency reported on Feb. 20. The EU is expecting the unused money to be returned, the report said. Meanwhile, Ukraine’s defense industry remains plagued by corruption, the New York Times reported on Feb. 19, citing examples such as state purchases of malfunctioning ambulances and price-gouging for aircraft parts. In the energy sphere, a group of businessmen allegedly connected to the president has gained control of a lucrative field of natural gas deposits in the Poltava region, RFE/RL reported on Feb. 20. Concorde analyst Zenon Zawada added: “These reports only buttress the argument for the creation of the High Anti-Corruption Court, as being required by the IMF, which is the most important political issue in Ukraine at the moment. In fact, we argue that the Court’s creation is more important than next year’s elections since most of the candidates represent the current system and are unlikely to change it, which would mean another five years of stagnation.” ### For more information, link here: www.concorde.ua
|
