Zelenskiy guarantees to swiftly confront Ukraine corruption

By Maria Starkova

LVIV, Ukraine (Reuters) – Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy mentioned on Sunday that corruption, the nation’s power drawback solid into the background by the struggle towards Russia, wouldn’t be tolerated and promised forthcoming key selections on uprooting it this week.

Zelenskiy’s pledge got here amidst allegations of senior-level corruption, together with a report of doubtful practices in navy procurement regardless of officers selling nationwide unity to confront the invasion.

“I would like this to be clear: there shall be no return to what was once prior to now, to the way in which varied folks near state establishments or those that spent their complete lives chasing a chair used to reside,” Zelenskiy mentioned in his nightly video handle.

Ukraine has had a protracted historical past of rampant corruption and shaky governance, with Transparency Worldwide rating the nation’s corruption at 122 of 180 international locations, not a lot better than Russia in 2021.

The EU has made anti-corruption reforms certainly one of its key necessities for Ukraine’s membership after granting Kyiv the candidate standing final yr.

“This week would be the time for acceptable selections,” Zelenskiy mentioned. “The selections have already been ready. I don’t wish to make them public at the moment, however it’ll all be honest.”

Elected by a landslide in 2019 on pledges to vary the way in which the ex-Soviet state was ruled, Zelenskiy mentioned that his authorities had accepted the resignation of a deputy minister after an investigation into allegations he accepted a bribe.

He didn’t determine the official, however information reviews have mentioned an performing deputy minister of regional improvement, Vasyl Lozinskiy, was detained on allegations of accepting a bribe.

The renewed give attention to corruption concerned additionally Defence Minister Oleksiy Reznikov after a newspaper reported that the navy had allegedly secured meals at extremely inflated costs.

Reznikov’s ministry described the allegations as “false” and a parliamentary committee had been requested to research.

(Reporting by Maria Starkova; Writing by Ron Popeski; Modifying by Lisa Shumaker)