On June 29, MPs supported the proposals of Volodymyr Zelenskyy to strengthen liability for false declaration to draft law No. 4651. 315 MPs voted in favor.
Earlier, the President vetoed the version adopted by the Parliament. We supported such a veto, since the MPs’ amendments were destructible to the e-declaration system.
Among the President’s proposals is the exclusion from the text of the previously criticized norms that created a gap in the declaration of assets of family members.
The second proposal of the President was to add 1 year’s imprisonment to the list of possible sanctions for failure to submit a declaration.
Earlier, the main Committee on Law Enforcement of the Verkhovna Rada took into account these recommendations too.
It is worth noting that the Venice Commission has already stated, that a further increase in sanctions may be necessary but insufficient without the proper functioning of anti-corruption bodies. Therefore, in its conclusion, the Commission encouraged the Ukrainian authorities to continue strengthening these institutions and mechanisms.
Thus, the situation with liability for false declaration has improved. In order for it to work in practice, a proper check future of declarations and a well-coordinated work of the anti-corruption infrastructure are necessary.
TI Ukraine will continue monitoring how the principle of inevitability of punishment for lying in declarations is implemented.
Earlier, the President vetoed the version adopted by the Parliament. We supported such a veto, since the MPs' amendments were destructible to the e-declaration system.
