PACE Co-Rapporteur on attempt to defer anti-corruption laws

Renate Wohlwend, Co-Rapporteur to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe has given an unequivocal response to the draft law just tabled by O. Novikov which proposes to defer the entry into force of the anti-corruption package passed in June of this year. The laws are due to come into effect on 1 January 2010.

Ms Wohlwend states that the adoption by Ukraine’s parliament in June 2009 of an anti-corruption package was an important step in the reform of that national system against corruption. It opened the way for the coming into force for Ukraine of the Council of Europe Criminal Law Convention on Corruption and the UN Convention against Corruption. It also brought Ukrainian legislation closer to international standards and the best experience. Any attempts to stop the force or put off the coming into force of these three laws would serious undermine Ukraine’s anti-corruption efforts. This would also breach Ukraine’s duties and commitments arising from its membership of the Council of Europe.

Further reform of anti-corruption legislation is undoubtedly necessary, not the deferring of laws already passed. Parliament would be better advised to concentrate its attention on other important laws needed for the creation of effective systems for resolving conflicts of interest and declaration of property by public officials, as well as on reforming the criminal justice bodies in accordance with European standards. These reforms are needed in the interests of Ukrainian citizens and the PACE Monitoring Committee will be closely following developments in this sphere.

Translated from the Ukrainian translation of Ms Wohlwend’s statement