Chaired by President of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych a meeting of the National Anti-Corruption Committee was held today at the Presidential Administration, according to the Press office of President Viktor Yanukovych.
The meeting’s agenda included consideration of the bills aimed at improvement and introduction of a qualitatively new mechanisms of preventing and combating corruption. Among the bills discussed were: "On amending some laws of Ukraine on improving the basics of preventing and fighting corruption", "On amending some legislative acts of Ukraine in connection with the adoption of the Law of Ukraine ‘On Prevention and Combating Corruption’” and "On amending the Criminal and Criminal Procedural Codes of Ukraine (concerning the improvement of seizure procedures).
The President reminded that these bills had received positive assessment at the previous meeting of the National Anti-Corruption Committee on April 22. It was decided to submit them to the Group of States Against Corruption (GRECO) for examination of their accordance with international standards on preventing and combating corruption.
"We have already received expert opinions from GRECO. Their assessment is positive in general. It means that our initiatives are supported," Viktor Yanukovych said, adding that Council of Europe experts have assessed the bills as a significant step bringing our state further in line with European standards in fighting corruption.
"We need to put an end to corruption in Ukraine," he said.
In this context the President said that another important issue on the agenda of today`s meeting is consideration of the 2010-2014 National Strategy of Preventing and Combating Corruption.
"This document will actually confirm the political will of state leaders, representatives of various government agencies and public organizations, and public figures, who hold the same principled stance. And I hope that we will eventually conduct effective public policy in combating corruption, which is a threat to national security of our country," he said.
He stressed that the draft Strategy also contains directions and tasks for improving public service and administrative procedures. In particular, it provides development of conscientiousness in public servicemen and improvement of citizens’ access to information on the activities of public authorities. "This is what we lack for developing civil society. These are the democratic values that today are only spoken about, but we must make specific mechanisms a reality," Viktor Yanukovych stressed.
He also noted that the Strategy provides improvement of the system of state property and budget funds management, development of the system of corruption fighting institutions and penalties for corruption, as well as optimization of funding of political parties and electoral campaigns.
"This is another sensitive social issue. And we have to approach it sooner or later," the President said.
President Yanukovych noted that the Strategy should be the list of corruption-fighting tasks not only for public authorities, but also for civil society institutions, and media, identifying them as active participants of the process.
"I am convinced that we can hope for a positive result of this work only if we join our efforts," Viktor Yanukovych said, expressing the belief that implementation of the Strategy would help in improving prevention and combating corruption and in developing an active position in the society.
"Our Committee faces important tasks, and I would like to urge you all to effective work and cooperation," summed up the President.
