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Svetlana Savitskaya

Anti-corruption reforms in Ukraine: progress or lack thereof?

During four years of anti-corruption reforms, a number of institutions were established to tackle the problem at different levels. New state bodies provide the infrastructure for investigation and prosecution of criminal cases, for monitoring, guidance and surveillance of implementation of anti-corruption measures, and administration of confiscated assets.

  • Ukraine
NL 116 | June 2018
Governance and Public Administration

Despite all efforts and some progress, the newly established institutions have yet to bring any corrupt, high-level official to account. It is questionable whether they would have been established out of political will, had it not been for the constant push of the civil society and the help of foreign donors.
Corruption, defined as an abuse of entrusted power for private gain, is still prevalent nationwide, which is reflected in the limited improvement Ukraine made in Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index over the last years.
For a transparent environment, strong legal action and enforcement methods are needed. A decisive step to promote the rule of law is to bring the anticorruption court into existence and to conduct an effective judiciary reform.

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