Corruption shall be equaled to High Treason, - Volodymyr Lytvyn
The Chairman of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine blames the authorities for the fact that Ukraine is one of "the world leaders by the rate of corruption". He made the above-mentioned statement, meeting the personnel of Burshtyn thermal power-station in Ivano-Frankivsk region.
Today, on the International Anti-Corruption Day, the United Nations Organization encouraged everyone to make a pledge never to offer or accept a bribe. The statement of Ban Ki-moon, United Nations Secretary-General, addresses this matter.
"When public money is stolen for private gain, it means fewer resources to build schools, hospitals, roads and water treatment facilities. When foreign aid is diverted into private bank accounts, major infrastructure projects come to a halt", - the United Nations Secretary-General stated.
Ban Ki-moon also stressed that corruption steals elections, undermines the rule of law and can jeopardize security. "As we have seen over the last year, it can also have a serious impact on the international financial system", - the Secretary-General stated.
The Head of the Ukrainian Parliament restated that the Parliament had adopted a package of anti-corruption laws to come into force on 1 January 2009. However, "even the best Laws are powerless, if the authorities are immoral".
To eradicate corruption in the country, several measures shall be taken. First and foremost, this crime shall be equaled to high treason, "being fixed at the legislative level, proper punishment envisaged". Secondly, it is necessary to discharge 40% of the administrative personnel. "Public authority officials guilty of corruption shall be deprived of the right for pension provision", - he stressed.
V.Lytvyn suggested that the entrepreneurs be prohibited to enter public service three years after the business close-down or to set up in business three years after the public service suspension. "Otherwise, having entered public service, they support their own business and establish connections", - he explained.
The Head of the Ukrainian Parliament deems necessary to adopt a special anti-corruption law to envisage declaration of not only income, but also expenditures of public officials and their family members. "Illegally obtained property of the public officials and their family members shall be deprived", - the Head of the Ukrainian Parliament stated.