CSOs demand that MPs adopt draft law No. 8071 as soon as possible, which restores the submission and verification of electronic declarations.

Electronic declaration is one of the important achievements in reforms after the Revolution of Dignity, which contributed to a number of investigations and sentences against MPs, ministers, and judges. However, in the first weeks of the full-scale invasion of Russia, the obligatory submission of declarations was suspended.

Only a third of all officials submitted their declarations for 2021. Most likely, next year the number of declarations submitted will decrease even more because, if their submission turns into a “voluntary” matter, then de facto it means dismantling one of the key anti-corruption reforms. It is quite simple to predict the consequences of delay with the restoration of declaration, since something similar happened three years ago with the submission of financial reporting of political parties. The only difference is that if the parties uncontrollably dispose of hundreds of millions of hryvnias from the national budget, then officials and MPs influence the use of hundreds of billion hryvnias of Ukrainian taxpayers and funds from partners of Ukraine.

Failure to submit declarations and lack of their verification contributes to corruption and abuse, which in current conditions are even more dangerous for the state and society.

After the 9 months of the war, it became obvious: unless the process of electronic declaration submission is restored, the investigation and anti-corruption authorities will, in fact, be unable to identify and hold officials liable for illicit enrichment and lies in declarations.

Therefore, in the near future, the institution of electronic declaration may lose its effectiveness, and the anti-corruption reform will fall back for 8 years.

The head of the Servant of the People’s faction, David Arakhamia, has submitted draft law No. 8071 “On Amendments to Certain Laws of Ukraine on the Implementation of Financial Control Measures to Prevent Corruption.” This initiative restores the submission of electronic declarations by officials for whom it was an obligation before the war.

The Anti-Corruption Committee approved this document back on October 18, 2022, but it has not yet been submitted to the Verkhovna Rada. Possibly, some MPs are delaying the restoration of electronic declaration on purpose as it demonstrated the effectiveness in corruption prevention.

CSOs urge MPs to include in the agenda and vote for draft law No. 8071, which restores the submission of electronic declarations.

 

Signatories:

NACP Public Council

Anti-Corruption Headquarters

Institute of Legislative Ideas

All-Ukrainian Association “Automaidan”

StateWatch

Bihus.Info

CHESNO Movement

Centre for Economic Strategy

Civic Platform ACT!

Zaporizhzhia Investigation Center

Anti-Corruption Research and Education Centre

Women’s Anticorruption Movement

CSO “On Edge”

DEJURE Foundation

CSO “Civil Control Platform”

CSO “Nivroku”

Center for Public Monitoring and Research

CSO Anti-Corruption Action Centre

Transparency International Ukraine CSO

CSO Center for Investigative Journalism “Syla Pravdy”

Centre of Policy and Legal Reform

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After the 9 months of the war, it became obvious: unless the process of electronic declaration submission is restored, the investigation and anti-corruption authorities will, in fact, be unable to identify and hold officials liable for illicit enrichment and lies in declarations.