Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

West can help Ukraine crack down on graft, anti-corruption prosecutor says

West can help Ukraine crack down on graft, anti-corruption prosecutor says

Western allies can help Kyiv with its mounting crackdown on graft by extraditing more people who are under investigation, Ukraine's top anti-corruption prosecutor said on Wednesday.

Fighting sleaze is a priority for Kyiv as it seeks membership of the European Union and tries to strengthen state institutions following Russia's invasion last year.

Oleksandr Klymenko, director of the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office, told Reuters that most countries Kyiv has asked to extradite suspects in corruption cases have declined to do so.

"In 90% of our cases, we have one or two or three or more subjects who are abroad, and the procedure for handing these people over to Ukraine is complicated," he said during an interview in his Kyiv office.

Countries where suspects have been located included Austria, Spain and Britain, he said.

Easing extradition, Klymenko said, was "extremely relevant" to Ukraine's efforts to root out corruption, which the European Commission, the EU executive, has singled out as a precondition for membership talks to begin.

"The investigation of a criminal case is quite ineffective when we can't return these people to Ukraine from various jurisdictions for the administration of due justice," he said.

Klymenko said countries typically cite security concerns amid Russia's war and the conditions of detention in Ukraine, but that Kyiv always guaranteed the safe custody of suspects under investigation.


SYSTEMIC CORRUPTION


In his role, to which he was appointed in July 2022, Klymenko must remain free from political influence - an important concern of Western governments and international donors who want to be sure foreign aid will not fall into the wrong hands.

Klymenko, 36, had previously worked as a detective for the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine, another state body fighting graft.

He said the priority for Kyiv's anti-corruption authorities was to root out the complex schemes and illicit networks that have made graft systemic in Ukraine.

The country ranked 116th out of 180 countries in Transparency International's most recent Corruption Perceptions Index, the result of weak state institutions that came under the control of well-connected people after the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Authorities have ramped up their anti-corruption drive since Klymenko's appointment.

Last week, investigators said they had uncovered a plot involving a former head of the State Property Fund that they believe embezzled more than $13 million.

That followed the first indictments on March 15 in a case involving a sprawling scheme that allegedly led to Ukrainian electricity customers overpaying by more than $1 billion between 2016 and 2019.

Klymenko said such elaborate corrupt ploys would continue unless their high-ranking organisers were targeted and the mechanisms exposed.

"If there's no system - in which a subordinate answers to a higher-up, who then answers to the very top - then I think it would be a success not just for us, but for our country in general," he said.

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Germany Votes to Suspend Family Reunification for Asylum Seekers
Budapest Pride Parade Draws 200,000 Participants Amid Government Ban
Southern Europe Experiences Extreme Heat
Xiaomi's YU7 SUV Launch Garners Record Pre-Orders Amid Market Challenges
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's Lavish Wedding in Venice
Russia Launches Largest Air Assault on Ukraine Since Invasion
Massive Anti-Government Protests Erupt in Belgrade
Iran Executes Alleged Israeli Spies and Arrests Hundreds Amid Post-War Crackdown
Hungary's Prime Minister Criticizes NATO's Role in Ukraine
EU TO HUNGARY: LET THEM PRIDE OR PREP FOR SHADE. ORBÁN TO EU: STAY IN YOUR LANE AND FIX YOUR OWN MESS.
Hungarian Scientist to Conduct 30 Research Experiments on the International Space Station
NATO Members Agree to 5% Defense Spending Target by 2035
NATO Leaders Endorse Plan for Increased Defence Spending
U.S. Crude Oil Prices Drop Below $65 Amid Market Volatility
International Astronaut Team Launched to Space Station
Macron and Merz: Europe must arm itself in an unstable world
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Iran Intensifies Crackdown on Alleged Mossad Operatives After Sabotage Claims
Trump Praises Iran’s ‘Very Weak’ Response After U.S. Strikes and Presses Israel to Pursue Peace
Oil Prices Set to Surge After US Strikes Iran
BA and Singapore Airlines Cancel Dubai Flights Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Faces Backlash from MAGA Base Over Iran Strikes
Meta Bets $14 B on Alexandr Wang to Drive AI Ambitions
FedEx Founder Fred Smith, ‘Heart and Soul’ of the Company, Dies at 80
Chinese Factories Shift Away from U.S. Amid Trump‑Era Tariffs
Pimco Seizes Opportunity in Japan’s Dislocated Bond Market
Labubu Doll Drives Pop Mart to Status as China’s Most Valuable Toy Maker
Global Coal Demand Defies Paris Accord Goals
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Telegram Founder: I Will Leave My Fortune to Over 100 of My Children
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
Hungary Ranked Among the World’s Safest Travel Destinations for 2025
G7 Leaders Fail to Reach Consensus on Key Global Issues
FBI and Senate Investigate Allegations of Chinese Plot to Influence the 2020 Election in Biden’s Favor Using Fake U.S. Driver’s Licenses
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Shock Within Iran’s Leadership: Khamenei’s Failed Plan to Launch 1,000 Missiles Against Israel
Wreck of $17 Billion San José Galleon Identified Off Colombia After 300 Years
Man Convicted of Fraud After Booking Over 120 Free Flights Posing as Flight Attendant
Iran Launches Extensive Missile Attack on Israel Following Israeli Strikes on Nuclear Sites
Beata Thunberg Rebrands as Beata Ernman Amidst Sister's Activism Controversy
Hungarian Parliament Approves Citizenship Suspension Law
Prime Minister Orbán Criticizes EU's Ukraine Accession Plans
Hungarian Delicacies Introduced to Japanese Market
Hungary's Industrial Output Rises Amid Battery Sector Slump
President Sulyok Celebrates 15 Years of Hungarian Unity Efforts
×