Kyiv, 5 August 2014 – MPs of “Batkivshyna”, “Svoboda” and “UDAR” factions stand for support of the draft law “On cleansing the authorities”, informed leader of “Batkivshyna” faction Sergiy Sobolev, Kyiv mayor Vitaly Klytchko and “Svoboda” MP Oleg Osukhovsky at a briefing in the Ukraine Crisis Media Center. According to Yegor Sobolev, Head of the Public Lustration Committee: “Political forces of the new majority that was formed after Maidan stepped over political egoism and every politician’s natural desire to have a law of his/her own and united around the draft law “On cleansing the authorities”. It is an actual step forward towards adoption of this law.”
“The law foresees checks on all the judges, law enforcers and all civil servants without exception, -continued Yegor Sobolev. – As a result of such checks 5 categories of persons will be removed from their positions: everyone who held management positions in Komsomol and other communist organizations during the Soviet times; everyone connected to KGB (Committee for State Security under the USSR) including those who studied in KGB schools; persons who held management positions under the previous authorities and did not resign; persons who by their words or actions supported encroachment on Ukraine’s territorial integrity; everyone who cannot provide explanation on the origin of own property or property in possession of their families”.
Kyiv mayor Vitaly Klytchko explained that “cleansing and renovation of authorities were main demands of the Revolution of dignity, that’s why “UDAR” political force started setting up constitutional grounds for extraordinary parliamentary elections. We have to reload the authorities. Lustration has to be done at all levels. Our political force joined the Lustration Committee to work out this draft law. I am sure provisions of this law will be definitely implemented”.
Sergiy Sobolev added that “lustration is possible only based on a clear law. First lustration step which the Parliament has to make is to adopt the new law on elections by means of proportional system. According to this law every citizen will have a chance to join the lustration process by expressing himself/herself on who does not deserve to represent Ukrainians’ interests in Parliament.” Mr. Sobolev also informed that “Batkivshyna” faction has submitted for consideration draft law “On counteracting separatism in society” that foresees banning political activity for persons who were directly involved in terrorism financing, support of separatist movements etc.
Pavlo Petrenko, Ukraine’s Minister of Justice when commenting on the draft law “On cleansing the authorities” said: “Within 23 years in Ukraine state authorities were set up to work for their own benefit as a priority. Today we understand that such state authorities are unable to conduct effective reforms, eliminate red tape and combat corruption. That’s why in the situation when Ukraine is de-facto facing challenges of war, external aggression, economic problems, position of Ukraine’s Prime-Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk is to have the state authorities made up of new, professional, motivated and patriotic staff. Important steps in this direction are full cleansing, conducting performance appraisal, lustration of state authorities representatives first of all those of control, law enforcement and judicial agencies. Staff of the state agencies is planned to be cut by 30-50% while the general salaries fund will be kept in the same amount in order for the new staff members to be paid at market level. It is also expected that responsibilities will be delegated to local authorities while state control, inspection and regulatory functions will be cut to the maximum. The government has already adopted a row of decisions in this area including the decision introducing moratorium on checks by various state agencies until the end of the year.”
As Mr. Petrenko noted: “Ukraine has no other way than to correct the mistakes of its 23 years and renovate its system of state power. There are no ideal reforms, there is ideal time for reforms. There’s ideal timing for reforms in Ukraine now and those reforms have to be done quickly and effectively. Only new civil servants will be able to do that.”
