Ukraine’s anti-corruption reform is essential to the creation of a prosperous European state | news

Ukraine’s anti-corruption reform is essential to the creation of a prosperous European state and should be continued

This said Minister of foreign affairs of Lithuania Linas Linkevicius during the meeting with representatives of National Anticorruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABO), Special Anticorruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) and EU Anticorruption Initiative (EUACI) yesterday, 28 August in Vilnius. ‘We welcome the effort of Ukraine’s special institutions to fight corruption and we hope that they will further be able to act independently and efficiently. It is equally important that their cases under investigation can reach the court and that concrete results can be obtained and give rise to convictions. It is also necessary to set up a special anti-corruption court in the short-term’ said Lithuania’s Foreign Minister.

This meeting kicked-off a two-day study tour to Lithuania for the leadership of NABU and SAPO. Its goal is to share the best European expertise in investigating crimes of illicit enrichment. Ukrainian delegation consists of representatives from NABU and SAPO, including their respective heads – Mr. Artem Sytnyk and Mr. Nazar Kholodnytskiy, accompanied by experts of the EUACI including Ms. Eka Tkeshelashvili, the Head of the EUACI – EU’s largest anticorruption programme in Ukraine.

During the first day of the study tour Ukrainian delegation met with the Minister of foreign affairs of Lithuania, Prosecutor General’s Office, Special Investigation Service, Financial Crime Investigation Service. Commenting on the trip to Lithuania, Head of EUACI MsTkeshelashvili said: ‘This study tour is a valuable tool for NABU and SAPO. During the two days Lithuanian officials will not only share their best expertise in investigating illicit enrichment crimes, but also their success story in fighting against corruption’. 

On 29 August Ukrainian delegation will meet with Lithuanian Parliament’s Anti-Corruption Committee, Law and Legal Committee, Supreme Court of Lithuania Criminal Case Division, Constitution Court.