The struggle against corruption

The US Ambassador to Ukraine William Taylor declared in Odesa that the American government does not want to see corruption gnawing away at this country’s judicial system and undermining the rules of fair competition. Mr. Taylor also said that he is going to help the Ukrainian people eradicate this problem. The US diplomat was taking part in the official ceremony to launch a bilateral study aimed at ascertaining the level of corruption in Ukraine’s judicial system.

Such investigations, which are part of the biennial Threshold Program for Ukraine, are being financed by the Millennium Challenges Corporation. The program is supported by the governments of Ukraine and the United States, and the goal of the initiative is to lower the level of corruption in the public sector.

According to the 2008 Nationwide Corruption Monitoring Report, this problem is Ukraine’s highest priority, on par with such problems as the low living standard, the costly and inadequate health care system, and the crime rate.

Interfax Ukraine quotes the US ambassador as saying that economic growth requires fair competition based on the rule of law as guaranteed by an unbiased judicial system. Corruption compromises this system and undermines the rules of fair competition.

Mr. Taylor made a similar statement on Nov. 5, 2007, when he gave a public lecture entitled “Ukraine: A Young Democracy.” He stressed that the struggle against corruption in this country will help attract foreign investors, who in turn will help Ukraine shoulder the burden of hosting the Euro 2012.

“During the election campaign all the main political forces promised to improve the political and investment climate in Ukraine so that investors, both from Ukraine and abroad, could transfer their interests and investments to Ukraine. Now the time has come to reduce government regulation, launch the fight against corruption, and start the reform of the justice system,” Taylor said.

The US ambassador’s remarks about the link between the anti-corruption struggle and the influx of international investors are particularly timely. Everyone knows that it is crucial for Ukraine to get international investors before Euro 2012, because this major event will require a great deal of work and financing to build highways, stadiums, airports, and hotels.

However, even a project the size of Euro 2012 does not seem to be encouraging Ukrainian politicians to begin combating corruption and reforming the judicial system, as promised by President Yushchenko and all the cabinets in Ukraine that were formed after 2004. Clearly, the Ukrainian saying that you have to wait three years for a promise to come true does not apply here.