E-declaration issue could affect Ukraine’s reputation—UK Ambassador
Interfax: Ukrainian General Newswire (Ukraine), 15.08.2016
British Ambassador to Ukraine Judith Gough has expressed hope for a full launch of the system of e-declaration of Ukrainian officials’ assets in the nearest future. "Commend Ukraine’s progress on tackling corruption, including the vital work of the NABU […] and the NACP […]. But the launch of an incomplete e-declaration system risks damaging this progress and Ukraine’s reputation,” the official wrote on her Twitter page.
Presseerklärung der EU-Delegation in der Ukraine, 17.08.2016
The electronic asset declaration system launched by the National Agency for the Prevention of Corruption (NAPC) on 15 August has not been properly certified and therefore falls short of creating the key legal consequences that the submission of a false declaration should entail. An e-declaration system in test-mode therefore makes little sense and might actually be counterproductive. […] Failure to swiftly resolve this issue could undermine Ukraine’s important anti-corruption efforts, which are essential for a successful reform process, supported by the EU.
Ukraine relaunches online earnings system to prevent corruption, some sceptical
Reuters News (USA), 01.09.2016, Alessandra Prentice and Pavel Polityuk
Ukraine on Thursday launched an online income declaration system meant to combat corruption among state officials that it hopes will unlock funds from the IMF, but its developer and watchdogs said insufficient political will could undermine the project. […] Transparency International Ukraine welcomed the launch, but said there was a danger the programme could prove ineffective. "We hope that the president (Petro Poroshenko) … will not allow the e-declaration system to be discredited by the introduction of amendments to anti-graft legislation,” TI Ukraine senior analyst Oleksandr Kalitenko told Reuters. […] Meanwhile, the head of the non-governmental Anti-Corruption Action Center, Vitaliy Shabunin, said lawmakers from across the political spectrum had already worked out a way for officials to avoid being held liable for illegally earned wealth under the e-declaration system.
EU Delegation gives feedback on first e-declaration stage in Ukraine
UNIAN (Ukraine), 01.11.2016
"The completion of the first round of electronic asset declarations, whereby we have seen a very high level of turn-out among declarants, marks an important milestone in Ukraine`s anti-corruption reforms […],” Charge d’Affaires of the EU Delegation Thomas Frellesen has said. […] "The important stage of verification of submitted e-declarations now starts. The NAPC [National Agency for Prevention of Corruption] must be able to operate fully independent, free of any political interference. The NAPC must be given the necessary means to carry out its important functions in relation to the verification of the information submitted in the declarations,” he said.
Vast wealth declared by Ukraine politicians causes shock and anger
Euronews (Frankreich/paneuropäisch), 31.10.2016
There has been an angry reaction in Ukraine to revelations that many politicians are even more staggeringly wealthy than had been suspected. […] "We did not expect that this would be such a widespread phenomenon among state officials. I can’t imagine there is a European politician who invests money in a wine collection where one bottle costs over 10,000 dollars,” said Vitaliy Shabunin, the head of the non-governmental Anti-Corruption Action Centre. […] Olexandra Ustinova of the anti-corruption centre […]: "Basically, we had hundreds of people die on Maidan for the new people to be elected and to come to power […]. And basically looking now on the new declarations you realise that these people are not new. The majority of these people are still there to make money.”
Offenlegung des Vermögens – die Millionen der ukrainischen Elite
Tagesschau (Deutschland), 01.11.2016, Hermann Krause
Es ist ein Gesetz, das der Internationale Währungsfond (IWF) der ukrainischen Regierung aufzwang – mit dem Ziel, die weitverbreitete Korruption in dem Land zu bekämpfen. Ob dies gelingt, ist eine andere Frage. […] Die Empörung ist groß, das Vertrauen in die Regierungselite war ohnehin sehr gering, nun ist es auf einem Tiefpunkt angelangt. Die ehemalige Kampfpilotin Nadia Sawschenko, die lange Zeit in Russland festgehalten wurde und als Abgeordnete stets die Regierung angreift, drückte es so aus: "Die Leute begreifen, dass diejenigen, die an der Macht sind, dem Volk feindlich gegenüberstehen. Sie müssen weggejagt werden."
In Ukraine, not even the Top Banker Trusts the Banks
The New York Times (USA), 01.11.2016, Andrew E. Kramer
Many of the lawmakers and officials responsible for inspiring public trust in Ukraine’s economic and banking institutions have little faith that their own wealth would be safe in the country’s banks, according to recently mandated financial disclosures. The new law in corruption-weary Ukraine required all officials, from mayors to members of Parliament, to publicly declare their property holdings by Monday. More than 50,000 officials complied.
Lutsenko says MPs who failed to submit e-declaration face up to 2 years in prison
Interfax: Ukrainian General Newswire (Ukraine), 02.11.2016
Ukraine’s Prosecutor General Yuriy Lutsenko has said seven MPs who have not submitted their electronic declaration on time are facing up to two years of imprisonment: "[…] If you submit your e-declarations soon, there will be the administrative responsibility in the form of a fine. If not, the intentional failure to submit e-declaration is a criminal offense punishable from 150 to 240 hours of community service, or imprisonment for up to two years, with the deprival of the right to hold public offices for up to three years,” Lutsenko wrote on Facebook on Monday.
Saakaschwili tritt als Gouverneur von Odessa zurück
Der Tagesspiegel Online (Deutschland), 07.11.2016, Jonas Schaible
Der ehemalige georgische Regierungschef ist als Gouverneur der ukrainischen Provinz Odessa zurückgetreten. "Ich werde das nicht länger tolerieren, ich habe genug davon", sagte Saakaschwili in seiner Rücktrittsrede. Odessa werde von korrupten Clans regiert, die von der Regierung in Kiew gedeckt würden. Damit endet eines der Vorzeigeprojekte im Kampf gegen Korruption. […] Der Anlass, sein Amt nun aufzugeben, seien die Vermögensberichte von Politikern und Beamten gewesen, sagte Saakaschwili.
Die Ukraine knöpft sich ihre reiche Elite vor
Süddeutsche Zeitung (Deutschland), 20.11.2016, Cathrin Kahlweit
Das Ergebnis der ersten Veröffentlichungen war so schockierend wie erwartbar: Die meisten Politiker und Richter sind unendlich viel reicher, als es ihre niedrigen Gehälter erlauben würden. […] Elektronische Vermögenserklärungen sind in einem Land, das im internationalen Korruptionsindex auf Platz 130 steht, eine Sensation. Das System könnte auch für westeuropäische Staaten Vorbild sein. Premier Wladimir Grojsman, sagt, das Prozedere fühle sich an, als springe man ohne Fallschirm aus einem Flugzeug: ziemlich riskant also. Die Reaktion der Bevölkerung zeigt, wie riskant: Es herrschen Wut und Empörung, weil die Bereicherung weitergeht, als hätte es den Maidan-Aufstand nie gegeben.
Externer Link: Quelle Zusammengestellt von Christopher Pavenstädt