Zelensky’s other war, the one against corruption in Ukraine
Ukraine has made progress in limiting the influence of oligarchs and building anti-fraud institutions under the leadership of its Western backers, but corruption persists and its president Volodymyr Zelensky has no intention of standing idly by. The Financial Times article
Several top Ukrainian officials have resigned after President Volodymyr Zelensky quickly tried to defuse corruption concerns at a time when he is calling for more Western weapons to push back Russian forces. Writes the Financial Times .
“We have made personnel decisions…regarding officials at various levels in ministries and other central government entities, regions and the law enforcement system,” Zelensky said in his nightly address to the nation. More departures are expected in the coming days as part of a broader reshuffle of key roles.
Ukraine has made progress in limiting the influence of oligarchs and building anti-fraud institutions under the leadership of its Western backers, but corruption persists. In Transparency International's latest Corruption Perceptions Index, in which the top-ranked country is rated the least corrupt, Ukraine was ranked 122nd out of 180 states.
Zelensky on Tuesday accepted the resignation of Kyrylo Tymoshenko, deputy head of his administration, who had been criticized by local media for using a luxury car registered in the name of an acquaintance and a sports utility vehicle donated for humanitarian needs.
Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov accepted the resignation of his deputy Vyacheslav Shapovalov after reports highlighted investigations into alleged purchases of food for the military at inflated prices.
The defense ministry said it hoped the resignation of Shapovalov, who oversaw the purchases, "will preserve the trust of the company and international partners and ensure objectivity during further clarifications and possible investigations."
The statement also said Shapovalov's resignation was "an honorable act, a demonstration that the interests of the defense are higher than any cabinet or chair", although it added that the "charges made are baseless".
Oleksiy Symonenko, Deputy Prosecutor General, also resigned following news of his recent holiday abroad.
According to officials, five regional governors have also been relieved of their duties. Oleksiy Kuleba, who will step down as head of the Kyiv region, is expected to replace Tymoshenko as deputy head of the Zelensky administration. The other governors to be replaced represent Sumy, Dnipropetrovsk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia.
In an effort to prevent potential misuse of state and military funds, Zelensky said he has signed decrees barring senior officials from going abroad except for approved travel, at a time when all men of working age he has been barred from leaving Ukraine since Russia launched its full-scale invasion 11 months ago.
“If they want to rest now, they will do it outside the public service. Officials will no longer be able to travel overseas for vacation or any other non-governmental purpose,” Zelensky added.
The state-run Ukrinform news agency reported on Tuesday that special anti-corruption prosecutors had asked Attorney General Andriy Kostin to approve charges of "illegal enrichment" against Pavlo Khalimon, a deputy from Zelensky's Servant of the People party.
Last weekend, Ukraine's anti-corruption bureau NABU arrested Vasyl Lozynsky, a deputy minister of regional development, on charges of bribery in the purchase of diesel generators vital for the supply of backup energy after months of Russian missile attacks on infrastructure. Khalimon and Lozynsky could not be reached for comment.
NABU and prosecutors also accused Andriy Kobolyev, former CEO of Naftogaz, of corruption in connection with his tenure at the head of the state-owned gas company. He denies the allegations.
The flurry of resignations and accusations follows weeks of reports uncovering alleged fraud by officials during a war that has taken a heavy toll on the country's soldiers and citizens.
In an open letter to Zelensky published on the Ukrainska Pravda website on Monday, investigative journalist Mykhailo Tkach urged the president to act quickly.
“We need to see [a principled position] now. Not tomorrow. Not in a month. Not after the victory [against Russia],” he wrote. "You can lead this war against the enemy within."
Tymofiy Mylovanov, president of the Kyiv School of Economics and adviser to Zelensky's administration, told the Financial Times that "it's a good sign that the system has responded to public pressure… It's also a sign that democracy works here" .
(Excerpt from the foreign press review by eprcomunicazione )
This is a machine translation from Italian language of a post published on Start Magazine at the URL https://www.startmag.it/mondo/laltra-guerra-di-zelensky-quella-alla-corruzione-in-ucraina/ on Sat, 28 Jan 2023 06:06:23 +0000.