European Commission recommends Ukraine to improve track-record on investigations of corruption cases

The European Commission has noted some progress in Ukraine's fight against corruption and recommends that Kyiv continue efforts to further improve the track-record on high-level corruption cases next year.

This is stated in the conclusions and recommendations of the European Commission as part of the annual Enlargement Package, Ukrinform reports.

“Ukraine has some level of preparation in the prevention of and fight against corruption. It has made some progress, notably by strengthening its anti-corruption institutional framework and the gradual building of a track record in investigating, prosecuting and adjudicating high-level corruption cases,” the document says.

The report highlights Ukraine’s strengthened the independence and the institutional capacity of the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO), the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the National Agency for Corruption Prevention (NACP) by increasing the number of staff among other measures.

“In the coming year, Ukraine needs in particular to continue efforts to further improve the track-record on high-level corruption cases, including the seizure and confiscation of criminal assets, focusing on top officials and high-impact cases that address systemic corruption in most relevant sectors and institutions,” the document reads.

Ukraine also needs “to strongly advance the implementation of the State Anti-Corruption Programme to a satisfactory level”.

It is also recommended to increase the number of judges for the High Anti-Corruption Court (HACC) and increase the number of administrative staff, further strengthen the capabilities of NABU pertaining to forensic examinations and independent wiretapping; urgently finalise the deployment and complete operational use of the e-case management system for the anti-corruption agencies.

As reported, on October 30, the European Commission adopted its annual Enlargement Package, providing a detailed assessment of the state of play and the progress made by Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Georgia, the Republic of Moldova, Ukraine and Türkiye, on their respective paths towards EU accession. The assessments are accompanied by recommendations and guidance on the reform priorities.

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