"The Verkhovna Rada has passed a bill on amendments to some laws of Ukraine in view of recommendations of the sixth report by the European Commission on the implementation by Ukraine of the EU visa liberalization action plan, which are aimed to streamline the work of the national agency for identification, recovery and management of proceeds from corruption and other crimes (registration No. 4056).
The bill was supported by 261 out of the 293 MPs registered in the session hall, an UNIAN correspondent said.
The bill authorizes the national agency not only to store the assets seized as part of a criminal investigation, but also own, use and/or dispose of such assets, including the right to sell, process technologically, or transfer the management of such assets.
The national agency shall keep its accounts at the State Treasury Service of Ukraine and its performance shall be subject to an independent external evaluation.
Public control of the agency's work shall be executed through the public council to be created under the agency. Nine members of the public council shall be approved by the agency's head on the basis of results of a competition.
An annual report by the national agency must contain, inter alia, data on transfers to and spending from the special fund of the Ukrainian national budget.
The fee of the agency's head is proposed to be fixed in the amount of 12 minimum salaries, while his deputy is entitled to a salary worth 11 minimum salaries. Their bonuses are set at up to 75% of their fee and are subject to annual review by the Cabinet following an independent evaluation of the agency's performance.
The agency's expenses shall be financed from the national budget.
