Ukraine is implementing important reforms in various areas, which the country has been expecting for years and which the previous authorities have only talked about. This was stated by President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a joint meeting with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and media representatives in Kyiv.
"It is important not to talk about the Anticorruption Court, but to establish it, and it should work. This is exactly what was done during my term. It did not exist before," the Head of State said.
The President also noted that the implementation of land reform has begun in Ukraine, the need for which has been discussed for 30 years of independence, but under the previous government it has not been implemented.
"Eleven new bills have been voted on, and the 12th is currently being considered. This is a great reform in Ukraine," the Head of State stressed.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy also informed that the Verkhovna Rada has adopted a number of other important documents that the country has been waiting for for years. In particular, these are the laws on inland water transport and on the functioning of the banking system.
In addition, the competition for the position of the head of the Specialized Anticorruption Prosecutor's Office continues, the Constitutional Court is being rebooted, which repealed a part of anticorruption legislation and lost public trust.
"A lot has been done. Therefore, no "rollback". I am only moving forward," the Head of State assured.
For his part, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken stressed the importance of ensuring the functioning of the anticorruption system in Ukraine.
"The fight against corruption is one of the most important issues for the Ukrainian people and crucial for improving their lives - from the services they rely on and the opportunities they enjoy," said Antony Blinken.
The Secretary of State said that during the meeting with the President of Ukraine they discussed issues related to corporate governance, including Naftogaz of Ukraine, independence of anticorruption bodies, reform of the judiciary and the Security Service of Ukraine.
"Ukraine faces two challenges: one from outside, from Russia. In addition, there is a threat from within - it is corruption, oligarchs and others who put their interests above the interests of the Ukrainian people. These two elements are interconnected, because Russia also uses corruption and individuals to help it advance its interests against the interests of the Ukrainian people," said Antony Blinken.
The US Secretary of State noted Ukraine's significant progress in passing laws to implement land reform, abolition of parliamentary immunity, enacting a law on liability for misrepresentation of income information, and so on.
"Laws are very important, but their implementation is no less important. What we have heard is that the Ukrainian people want to see not only the adoption of laws, but also their implementation, which includes the fight against corruption," said Antony Blinken.
