PRESS RELEASE : Andriy Yermak set a task of promptly submitting the filled-in questionnaire on Ukraine’s participation in the OECD Working Group on Bribery [November 2022]

The press release issued by the President of Ukraine on 3 November 2022.

Head of the Office of the President Andriy Yermak held a meeting of the working group on developing proposals for Ukraine’s participation in the OECD Working Group on Bribery in International Business Transactions.

Andriy Yermak emphasized that Ukraine had put a huge effort into gaining membership in the OECD Working Group.

“We have one of the most advanced anti-corruption infrastructures, which is fully prepared to investigate bribery in international business transactions,” he said.

The Head of the President’s Office noted that today Ukraine shows the whole world an example of a state that not only repels the attack of an aggressor during war, but also does everything possible to join international anti-corruption organizations and meet international standards in this sphere.

“We are working on a recovery plan, we need investments. And there will be investments if everyone is sure that this whole structure of ours works and we are fully responsible, and that our foreign investors can feel completely protected,” Andriy Yermak is convinced.

He emphasized that for Ukraine, joining anti-corruption organizations is related not only to an institutional issue, but also to the development of the state.

Chair of the OECD Working Group on Bribery in International Business Transactions Drago Kos, who took part in the meeting via video conference, highly praised the work of the Ukrainian delegation at the Working Group meeting held in Paris. He noted that our country received a questionnaire on joining the OECD Working Group, which consists of legal and economic parts.

Deputy Head of the Office of the President Andriy Smyrnov informed about the progress of the Working Group since the previous meeting. According to him, a wide public discussion regarding the importance of the Working Group in the fight against corrupt influences, as well as a meeting with representatives of the diplomatic corps were held.

The meeting participants heard information about the work of the Ukrainian delegation at the meeting of the OECD Working Group in Paris. In particular, a number of bilateral meetings were held in order to inform foreign colleagues about the legislative developments of Ukraine and exchange experience in the fight against corruption.

Polina Lysenko, a member of the Working Group, noted that a response to the questionnaire on joining the OECD Working Group has been prepared. The comments and suggestions of representatives of state authorities are taken into account.

The parties also discussed legislative proposals on improving criminal liability for bribing officials of foreign states and changing the approach to the issue of taxation.

Summing up, Andriy Yermak called on the representatives of the Working Group to promptly submit the filled-in questionnaire to the OECD Secretariat.