Anticorruption bodies must remain independent – World Bank

Anticorruption bodies in Ukraine, as well as their leadership, must remain independent and professional, the World Bank has stressed.

That's according to the World Bank Ukraine's press service referring to Regional Director for Eastern Europe (Belarus, Moldova, Ukraine) Arup Banerjee.

Read alsoG7 ambassadors: Anti-corruption agencies' integrity must be protected in Ukraine"We are firmly convinced that anti-corruption institutions and their leadership must continue to remain independent and fully professional. These principles allow them to identify corruption and bring corrupt officials to justice," Banerjee was quoted as saying in a Facebook post delivered in Ukrainian.

He also stressed that the issue of corruption in Ukraine remains urgent and needs to be further addressed.

"In recent years, with the support of the World Bank and other international partners, Ukraine has created a reliable anticorruption infrastructure. But corruption still remains a significant obstacle to the development of the state, since it deprives Ukrainian citizens of the resources and those public services to which people are entitled," he said.

Background

According to the memorandum on economic and financial policies signed between Ukraine and the International Monetary Fund, Ukraine, within the framework of the new Stand-By Arrangement, has undertaken to ensure the independence of such anti-corruption bodies as the National Anti-corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU), the Specialized Anti-corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO), and The High Anti-corruption Court (HAC).