Oleksandr Turchynov: Combating corruption should be brought into action without pity and compromise
Corruption schemes that worked for decades in our country must be destroyed. This was announced by the Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine Oleksandr Turchynov during an expanded session of the panel on combating corruption of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine.
«During the war, to be engaged in corruption is not only a crime, enshrined in our criminal law, it is a real looting. Marauding behind the backs of those who give their lives defending the country, of those who give their last penny for the defense of the state», - he stressed.
Oleksandr Turchynov noted that during the last 20 years the fight against corruption was carried out only on paper and for show, and during the reign of Yanukovych regime «all structures and bodies had their corruption tasks, systems of exactions that were structured, calculated and transformed into billions stolen from pockets of Ukrainians».
According to him, there was no systematic fight against corruption because just leaders were changed, the schemes remained the same, and new leaders inherited these schemes.
The Secretary of the NSDC noted that many of these schemes that have worked for decades, are now working in a country at war. Among them exactions for purchase of resources for state budget money, selling of positions, covering of criminal and semi-criminal business.
«The fight against corruption should be carried out in forms and by methods appropriate to the situation in a country that is at war - without regret, without compromise, without limitation in means to combat this evil», - he stressed.
In addition, Oleksandr Turchynov spoke on the need to «systematically strengthen criminal liability for corruption crimes, including the complete abolition of any bail for officials detained for corruption crimes». «The criminal should not be released on bail paid from stolen money» - the Secretary of the NSDC said, stressing that corrupt officials before sending to penal institutions, should be sent to the front line, so they went through the ranks of defenders of Ukraine. «I would arrange meetings of parents of dead heroes with these scoundrels before directing them to correctional labor» - he said.
The Secretary of the NSDC also stressed that for Ukraine, which aspires to join the European Union, measures to combat corruption, effectively implemented in Europe, are ineffective for the moment. «The country that is at war needs more decisive and effective steps», - he said.
«The standards we set ourselves, taking into account our integration path, will be implemented. But when corruption becomes an overwhelming phenomenon in the country, the fight against it must be comprehensive and have appropriate measures and resources for it. Including legal ones», - he emphasized.