The first meeting of the commission which will discuss candidates for the position of director at the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine has been scheduled for January 14, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said at a meeting with Director-General of the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) Giovanni Kessler, who had been elected to the commission.
“We cannot delay the appointment of Director and the beginning of the Anti-Corruption Bureau’s operation,” the president’s press service quoted the Head of State on Saturday.
The president noted that the one of the main priorities in 2015 was principled, consistent and an efficient struggle against corruption
The President expects that the experience of recognized commission members will help them choose a competent leader of the anti-corruption agency.
In turn, Kessler has expressed gratitude for such confidence, and said he was ready to actively participate in the preparation and holding of the first constituent meeting of the commission.
According to the statement, the priority task of the newly-established Anti-Corruption Bureau will be to investigate and return funds stolen by Yanukovych’s regime, create a special group to control financial resources allocated by the EU in the form of grants, credits and special programs.
Ukrainian President also emphasized that the Bureau’s successful performance would be crucially important for the implementation of reforms, and the creation of a climate of confidence in Ukraine.
“We want to change the situation, break the old corrupt system and create a new efficient anti-corruption mechanism,” the Head of State noted.
Under present legislation, the Director of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau is to start working on January 24, 2015. This was stipulated in the coalition agreement as well.
The commission consists of 9 persons elected by the President, the Cabinet of Ministers and Verkhovna Rada: Refat Chubarov, Yevhen Zakharov, Yaroslav Hrytsak, Josef Zissels, Oleksandra Yanovska, Yuriy Butusov, Yevhen Nyshchuk, Viktor Musiyaka and Giovanni Kessler.
