The Chair of the global anti–corruption network Transparency International Jose Ugaz wrote an open letter to the Ukrainian President where he outlined the top priorities for the recovery of assets stolen by Yanukovich and his associates. The document was prepared by Ukrainian and international experts.
In his letter to the Ukrainian President, the most famous corruption fighter on the planet, he reminded the President about their agreements from June 2016, when Jose Ugaz and Petro Poroshenko discussed the launch of the e-declaration system and cooperation in the field of asset recovery of the former regime. Jose Ugaz welcomed the launch of the e-declaration system and stated: «It must also serve as an efficient mechanism to verify data reliability and the legality of declared property».
Unfortunately, significant progress in investigating corruption crimes committed by Yanukovych and his allies has not been achieved, and the stolen wealth has yet to be repatriated. The anti-corruption court has not been established, and opposition deputies, not the President of Ukraine, submitted the only draft law regarding this issue to the Parliament.
«The international anti-corruption organization Transparency International and our Ukrainian chapter – Transparency International Ukraine – are ready to extend all possible assistance in tracing and recovering assets illegally stolen by high-ranking officials under the Yanukovych regime. However, the activities of law enforcement bodies are out of reach. This not only complicates the participation of non-governmental organizations in recovering stolen assets, but due to the absence of real results, it generates significant doubts in the effectiveness of law enforcement in this sphere,» was stated in the letter.
In December 2016, in Kyiv, in cooperation with our partners we held an international conference on asset recovery, where we discussed the obviously insufficient level of progress over the past three years. In response, we developed a number of specific recommendations for strengthening anti-corruption policy in Ukraine. The recommendations are attached to the letter. Here are the first five the Ukrainian authorities must take to effectively investigate the Yanukovych’s crimes:
- Adopt effective legislative provisions for in-absentia pre–trial investigation and judicial inquiry procedures.
- Adopt a well-functioning law, which would provide for the civil confiscation of property of public officials, the origin of which they cannot prove by legal income.
- Provide an effective and comprehensive launch of the National Agency of Ukraine for search, investigation and management of assets, obtained through either corruption or other illegal means.
- The Prosecutor General of Ukraine should immediately report on achievements in the investigation of grand corruption by the Yanukovych regime and on the fate of Ukrainian property stolen by top-officials who
- The prosecutor General’s Office should develop, as soon as possible, a public registry of criminal proceedings on grand corruption of the Yanukovych regime, providing information about investigated crimes, wanted persons and frozen assets.
“I am sure that by fulfilling these recommendations will both break the cycle of impunity, and advance Ukrainian anti-corruption reforms,” underlined Jose Ugaz.
For its part, the Transparency International global movement and its Ukrainian chapter will continue to make every possible effort to combat corruption, trace and recover stolen assets and ready to monitor and actively assist in the implementation of recommendations.
Download Open letter in English
Download Recommendations in English
Download Open letter in Ukrainian
Download Recommendations in Ukrainian
