{"id":1006,"date":"2020-12-04T20:06:48","date_gmt":"2020-12-04T20:06:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.radiofree.org\/?p=132731"},"modified":"2020-12-04T20:06:48","modified_gmt":"2020-12-04T20:06:48","slug":"ukraines-parliament-restores-anti-corruption-legislation-annulled-by-highest-court","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/2020\/12\/04\/ukraines-parliament-restores-anti-corruption-legislation-annulled-by-highest-court\/","title":{"rendered":"Ukraine’s Parliament Restores Anti-Corruption Legislation Annulled By Highest Court"},"content":{"rendered":"
Ukraine\u2019s parliament voted on December 4 to reimpose penalties for officials who provide false information about their incomes, defying an earlier ruling from the nation\u2019s highest court.<\/p>\n
Ukraine’s Constitutional Court in October annulled key parts of the nation’s anti-corruption legislation, sparking a widespread backlash at home and abroad. The decision threatened Western financial aid to Kyiv and visa-free travel to Europe Union countries.<\/p>\n
The nation\u2019s highest court declared unconstitutional a provision that required officials to submit electronic asset declarations. It also struck down legislation that made providing false income information a criminal offense.<\/p>\n
Ukraine has suffered from widespread corruption for decades that has held back foreign investment and economic growth. The prior legislation, passed after the 2013-14 Euromaidan protests that pushed Moscow-friendly President Viktor Yanukovuych from power, helped combat the problem by exposing and punishing those officials involved in graft.<\/p>\n
The new bill passed by parliament on December 4 is less severe.<\/p>\n
According to its provisions, an official who deliberately conceals assets worth between 1.3 million and 9 million hryvnya ($46,000 and $318,000) can be fined between 42,500 and 51,000 hryvnya ($1,500 to $1,800) or sentenced to between 150 and 240 hours of community service.<\/p>\n
Those who fail to declare assets worth over 9 million hryvnya will face a fine of between 51,000 and 85,000 hryvnya ($1,800 to $3,000) and between 150 and 240 hours of community service or up to two years of \u201crestrictions of freedom\u201d that do not include imprisonment.<\/p>\n
Additionally, any official convicted of hiding income can be banned from holding public office for up to three years<\/p>\n