Ukraine asset declaration requirements for NGO officials draw harsh EU criticism

The Ukrainian government drew harsh criticism on March
28 from Johannes Hahn, the EU neighborhood policy commissioner, for failing to
cancel its asset e-declaration requirement for Western-sponsored NGO officials,
particularly those working with anti-corruption. The deadline for submitting
these declarations remains April 1, despite repeated requests by European
authorities for parliament to cancel the requirement. “The Ukrainian
authorities have not lived up to their commitment,” Hahn said in a statement on
the European Commission’s website. “The failure to repeal the extension of this
obligation – from public officials also to civic activists – is contrary to
Ukraine’s European aspirations. It is contrary to the strong recommendations
given by Ukraine’s international partners, including the EU (also in the
context of monitoring Ukraine’s continued implementation of commitments in the
visa liberalization process), the Venice Commission and the OSCE/ODIHR.”

Hahn’s statement came two days after Ukrainian
President Poroshenko signed amendments to the law, “On fighting corruption,”
that require members of anti-corruption NGOs to submit electronic declarations
of their assets and income. Following Hahn’s criticism, Poroshenko urged
parliament to cancel the e-declaration requirement for anti-corruption
officials, as reported by Interfax-Ukraine, citing a source in the Presidential
Administration. Speaker Andriy Parubiy said parliament will review canceling
the requirement only after April 1 deadline since no sessions are scheduled
until then. MP Yulia Tymoshenko, the leading presidential candidate, called for
an extraplenary session to approve the legislative measure.

Zenon Zawada: This is
merely the latest in a long series of anti-corruption requirements that have
been resisted by the Poroshenko administration. It’s all too typical to see the
president acting only at the last minute, and only after a scolding from a top
EU official. Such stalling has been the standard approach by the Poroshenko
administration to any unwanted legislative measure demanded by Western
authorities.

This resistance to fighting corruption has contributed
significantly to the president’s dismal support among the Ukrainian public. In
conducting reforms, the president is not even motivated by the prospect of
improving his ratings ahead of the March 2019 presidential elections, which the
populist Tymoshenko is increasingly like to win. So instead of leading the
reforms process, the president and his insiders are likely to become the key
targets of anti-corruption efforts under the Tymoshenko administration.