Victor Yushchenko appreciates the determination of the government to fight corruption, according to the President`s press-office.
“The improper use of budget funds and state assets is a social vice whose eradication is declared by every government. Unfortunately, declarations often remain mere declarations,” he said.
The President believes the government should support its stance with concrete actions. He demands that they first vote for his anti-corruption bills, which, unfortunately, “have not been passed since they were proposed three months ago.”
“Not only must we speak about the investigation of crimes in this area but also about their prevention,” he said.
The second step is the formulation of new rules to regulate state purchases. Mr. Yushchenko said
representatives of the European Union and World Bank were shocked at some of the models to use budget funds in Ukraine.
“The key element of financial stability is financial stability of state monopolies and companies controlled by the government. The neglect of corporate management principles and the desire of some officials to live at the expense of the country lead to bankruptcies of state monopolies,” he said.
Mr. Yushchenko said he wanted officials to be legally responsible for the inefficient management of state companies and illegal spending of budget funds.
The President urged the government and the Verkhovna Rada to pass a “transparent and intelligible” budget “as one of the tools to fight corruption.”
