President of Ukraine

Ukraine's accession to the OECD Working Group on Bribery will contribute to the introduction of additional safeguards against corruption - Andriy Yermak

26 July 2022 - 21:53

Ukraine's accession to the OECD Working Group on Bribery will contribute to the introduction of additional safeguards against corruption - Andriy Yermak

Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Andriy Yermak held a meeting on Ukraine's accession to the working body of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) - the Working Group on Bribery in International Business Transactions.

As the Head of the Office of the President emphasized, despite the war, Ukraine is implementing reforms and systemic changes, because our country is fighting for its future and is already thinking about life after the end of the war and recovery.

"Today, trust in our country is unprecedented. Its sign is the transfer of modern weapons to us for protection against Russian aggression. Its sign was granting our country the status of a candidate for EU membership. Ukraine's accession to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development will be the same sign," he said.

According to Andriy Yermak, it is necessary to constantly strengthen trust, therefore it is important to ensure transparency and accountability of procedures in both the public and private sectors. This will not only contribute to improving the country's image and its investment attractiveness, but also help in post-war reconstruction.

"Rebuilding Ukraine after the war is what we strive for. Our task is to make it better. With a dynamic and harmonious economy, with beautiful and comfortable rebuilt cities, with the most simplified interaction between business and the state and, of course, with eradicated corruption. To achieve this, it is important for Ukraine to join the OECD working body - the Working Group on Bribery in International Business Transactions," he said.

Membership in this group is a way to improve Ukrainian criminal, criminal procedural and tax legislation, and introduce additional safeguards against corruption in accordance with world standards, stated Andriy Yermak.

Deputy Head of the Office of the President Andriy Smyrnov noted that Ukraine's membership in the specified working group will be the powerful impetus for the state.

"Now we have a great opportunity to once again demonstrate Ukraine's firm intention to become even stronger, in particular in the field of fighting corruption," he emphasized.

Among the advantages of membership, Andriy Smyrnov named, in particular, the openness of processes that will play an important role in the post-war reconstruction of our state, increasing trust, establishing operational cooperation with representatives of foreign competent authorities to exchange information on current investigations, implementing mechanisms that will reduce the risks of corruption in the post-war period, in particular by transnational corporations and during the provision of international aid.

Head of the Anti-Corruption Division in the Directorate for Financial and Enterprise Affairs of the OECD, Head of the Secretariat of the OECD Working Group Patrick Moulette highly praised Ukraine's decision to start the accession process despite the current extremely difficult circumstances.

He assured that the OECD will continue cooperation with Ukraine in strengthening the fight against corruption and will do everything to make this fight effective. Patrick Moulette stated: Ukraine has good anti-corruption legislation, infrastructure of anti-corruption bodies to work and demonstrate results.

"Your decision to apply for accession really shows your determination to fight corruption in the main areas," summed up Patrick Moulette.

As a result of the meeting, a decision was made to set up an interagency working group that will be responsible for coordinating actions related to Ukraine’s implementation of the norms of the OECD Anti-Bribery Convention and other standards developed by the OECD Working Group and its working body - the Secretariat.

The First Deputy Director of the National Anticorruption Bureau Gizo Uglava offered to create a secretariat of the interagency working group on the basis of NABU, which will consist of representatives of state bodies present at the meeting and experts in separate areas. It is envisaged that the secretariat, among other things, will conduct analytical work and prepare documents, draft acts, which will be submitted for consideration by the interagency working group.