+7 points in 5 years (CPI 2013 – 25 points, 2018 – 32 points)
Compared to last year’s index, Ukraine gained 2 points and ranked 120th.
Taking into account the analysis of research that inform the CPI, the growth is connected, among other things, with assessment of the situation by the business community. The following aspects contributed to the improvement: automatic VAT refund, operation of the ProZorro system, broader scope of ProZorro.Sale and activity of the business ombudsman institute.
Among the recommendations we provided for 2018, only one has been implemented, and even then, only partially: launch of the Anti-Corruption Court in 2018. The respective legislation has been approved, but the court will only start operating this year. One of the main factors hampering the anti-corruption progress is the lack of political will.
The authorities ignore recommendations
The recommendations ignored by the authorities include: to strengthen the role of the public in judge verification process (the HQCJ successfully ignored the conclusions of the Public Integrity Council), the NABU was not provided with independent wiretapping, the NACP is yet to be rebooted (while it remains a completely ineffective and politically dependent institution), full-scale automatic verification of electronic declarations has not been launched yet, the SBU and the National Police continue “fighting” with economic crime. Activists and journalists continue to face pressure.
What’s with the neighbors?
Russia lost another point last year, scoring 28 and ranking 138th. Ukraine remains behind Poland, which has 60 points, Slovakia (50), Romania (47), Hungary (46), Belarus (44) and Moldova (33). The average score of EU countries is 66, with Bulgaria scoring worst with 42 points.
With the current growth rate, we will need “just” 25 years to get to the average EU score.
Steps for 2019
What the authorities have to do to help Ukraine move forward in the ranking:
– Reboot the NACP
– Implement properly functioning automatic verification of declarations and lifestyle monitoring of the filers
– Ensure effective work of the beneficiary register
– Change the management of the anti-corruption prosecutor’s office, which has lost all credibility after the “aquarium” situation. – Provide more tools (wiretapping) to ensure effective work of the NABU.
– Launch effective sale of property belonging to insolvent enterprises and ensure sales of expired loans of national banks through transparent auctions.
– Bring to justice those who attacked anti-corruption activists and demonstrate that law enforcement and the judiciary are ready to fight with this shameful situation. Read more here.
This way, the growth rate can double or triple.
But are the current authorities and politicians ready to take these steps?
With the current growth rate, we will need "just" 25 years to get to the average EU score.
Andrii Borovyk, Executive Director, TI Ukraine
