OUR SUPPORTERS

Real anti-corruption reforms in Ukraine mean real community participation in their implementation

Target problems of the project proposal:

When Viktor Yanukovich took the position of the President of Ukraine he assured that a series of reforms would be conducted in Ukraine in order to essentially increase life level of Ukrainians. This was to be reached through the implementation of 10 ambitious national projects, which require attraction of tens of billions Euros worth investments to Ukraine. However, Ukraine can't actually secure due management of funds in the situation, when corruption remains drastically popular. According to estimations of international experts, in particular GRECO, the worst rate of conducting anti-corruption reforms is observed in Ukraine. Even though the state seems to be taking effort in this sphere - the new anti-corruption law has been adopted, judicial and administrative reforms have been started, and several resonant investigations aimed at revealing corruption actions of preceding and current officials have been initiated.

However, without the clear and publicly declared strategy of changes and without the commitment to follow it there is no guarantee that corruption fight won't be used by the team in power as a tool to square personal accounts with political opponents or the ground to constrict major democratic rights and freedoms. The Law of Ukraine "On corruption prevention and counteraction", which came into force on July 1, 2011 can remain solely a declaration without the second round of anti-corruption reform. The state has to carry out at least 7 urgent recommendations in order to ensure due implementation of the anti-corruption reform:

Direct participation of civil society organizations in monitoring of anti-corruption reforms' progress in Ukraine is foreseen by the project initiative. Process of community participation in the development and implementation of state and regional anti-corruption programs in Ukraine will be initiated by effort of a non-formal Coalition of 50 national and regional NGOs coordinated by the Creative Union "TORO" (Transparency International National Contact in Ukraine).

Project aim: encouraging Ukrainian authorities to appropriately introduce anti-corruption reforms by means of community participation in the development and implementation of state and regional anti-corruption programs in Ukraine.

Project objectives:

- Advocacy of the State Anti-corruption program.
- Providing assistance in development of regional anti-corruption programs

Implementation plan:

Name of stage: Advocacy of the State Anti-corruption program.

Term of stage implementation: October, 2011 - March, 2012.

Description of measures undertaken to implement the stage:

Conducting a professional discussion to outline standpoints of public authorities and civil society organizations on the form and content of the State anti-corruption program

Term of implementation - Middle of October, 2011

Course of implementation

Coalition members initiate a broad professional discussion on the form and content of the State anti-corruption program, as well as presenting community's suggestions to such document. The following groups will take part in the discussion: representatives of special public authorities (Administration of the President of Ukraine, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the General Prosecutor's Office of Ukraine, the Security Service of Ukraine, Special committee of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine), representatives of specialized international anti-corruption projects and programs, interested community, in particular Coalition members. All in all 50 persons will take part in the discussion. The discussion will include outlining standpoints of each of the stakeholders on the prepared draft program with separating blocks, which require further improvement.

Public presentation of the civic variant of the State anti-corruption program

Term of implementation - December 9, 2011

Course of implementation: Coalition members with the participation of public authorities are going to present public presentation of the civic variant of the State anti-corruption program of Ukraine. The content of civic recommendations as well as ways of Program implementation will be stressed at the event. Since presentation is taking place at the International Anti-corruption Day, it is expected that the event will draw broad attention of media and specialized international organizations.

Name of the objective: providing assistance in development of regional anti-corruption programs

Term of implementation - November, 2011 - March, 2012.

Course of implementation

Coalition members will get involved in the process of development of regional anti-corruption programs in Vinnytsa region and Kyiv. It is expected that upon the appeal of program developers, coalition members are going to provide methodical and other kind of assistance in program development. Moreover, the community will initiate public discussion and presenting of draft documents to get the outmost number of people get familiar with their content.

Short-term results of project implementation

- A number of suggestions to the State anti-corruption program of Ukraine has been prepared by civil society organizations;
- The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has adopted the State anti-corruption program;
- Regional anti-corruption programs, which take into account leading national experience, have been prepared at the level of Vinnytsa region and Kyiv with community participation.

For more detailed information, please contact
tel/fax. (0522)27-27-543, work tel. (0522)27-23-17
e-mail: khmara@toro.org.ua

Contact person - Oleksii Khmara.