REUTERS

"Fighting corruption is a key demand of the Ukrainian society, is crucial to achieving stronger and equitable growth, and is part of the government's commitment under the program with the IMF," Lagarde said in a statement.

Read alsoIMF explains why it has concerns about Ukraine pension reform"We also urge the authorities to move quickly with legislation to operationalize an independent anti-corruption court consistent with the recommendations of the Venice Commission of the Council of Europe, which is essential to credibly adjudicate high-level corruption cases," she added.

In her words, the IMF is deeply concerned by recent events in Ukraine that could roll back progress that has been made in setting up independent institutions to tackle high-level corruption, including the National Anti-corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Special Anti-corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO).

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"We urge the Ukrainian authorities and parliament to safeguard the independence of NABU and SAPO," she said.

Earlier it became known that the bill allowing the Ukrainian parliament to dismiss the heads of NABU, SAPO and members of the National Agency on Corruption Prevention (NAZK), has been removed from the parliament's agenda.