Kyiv, December 22, 2015. The Anti-corruption Forum will take place at the International Exhibition Center in Kyev on December 23. The event was initiated by civic activists and supported by political parties. So far, 5000 participants have registered at the forum. However, anyone who comes and offers interesting ideas about fighting corruption will have an opportunity to speak, informed Head of Odesa Regional State Administration Mikheil Saakashvili at a briefing at Ukraine Crisis Media Center.
According to Serhiy Leshchenko, MP (Poroshenko Bloc faction), this event will launch a broad public discussion of corruption as a social phenomenon. He also noted that the speed with which the public raised funds for the Forum again proves “the readiness of people to unite under real and not populistic slogans.” According to leader of the “Democratic Alliance” party Vasyl Gatsko, 300 000 hryvnias were collected within just two days. “The fight against corruption can be financed. I think that we will really approach the success in this fight, when we begin to finance this struggle,” he stressed.
Advisor to the Chairman of the Odessa State Administration Sasha Borovik said that corruption can be eradicated only with coordinated efforts. He emphasized that the political parties that will participate in the forum may have different views on how to develop the country and to promote its economic growth, but they all are against corruption. Co-founder of “The New Country” Civic Platform Andriy Dligach added that “we must fight with he system and not with the symptoms.” The Forum is intended to find ways of systemic struggle with the causes of corruption. “We should find out what can be done in different areas of our life for the struggle to become irrevocable,” he said.
Mr. Saakashvili also added that he has already scheduled four regional events to extend the discussion of this topic throughout the country.