Draft bill #9534 of July 26, 2023 

Cosponsors: a group of 41 MPs from the factions Servant of the People, Batkivshchyna, and Holos and groups For the Future and Trust (with Davyd Arakhamia as the first signatory) 

Status: adopted in the first reading 

Who is affected: the National Agency on Corruption Prevention, elected politicians, civil servants, and employees of local self-government bodies (about 800 thousand total) 

Summary of the draft bill: 

  • individuals obliged to submit asset declarations who did not file their declarations due to being in the territories affected by the Russian aggression (the list of the territories is defined by the Cabinet) will have to submit their declarations within 90 days in the following cases: 
    • the territory in question is liberated from temporary occupation or hostilities there officially ended 
    • the person has returned to their place of work or permanent deployment 
    • the person was transferred to a position outside the area of military hostilities or dismissed 
    • martial law is lifted or terminated 
  • all other persons subject to mandatory submission of asset declarations who have not filed their declarations for 2022 or 2023 will have to submit their declaration within 90 days after the law comes into effect 
  • the NACP will be obliged to provide declarants with information from public registers about them and their family members 
  • the declarant will no longer be obliged to report a substantial change in assets if this change resulted from an increase in their income paid from the government or local budget as salary, rewards, or other remuneration for primary employment 
  • electronic declarations will no longer contain information about the location of the property and the place of residence of the declarant. The personal data of other persons mentioned in the declarations will also be removed 
  • the requirement to undergo special checks before being appointed to a position in civil service will be restored. 

What is right: 

  • the renewal of mandatory submission of asset declarations will help to reduce risks of corruption and other forms of abuse of power. It will help to maintain public trust in the authorities, which is critical during a long war and restrictions imposed under martial law 
  • the bill ensures a balance between the safety of officials involved in the defense of the state and corruption prevention 
  • there will be fewer risks of dishonest persons entering public service due to the renewal of mandatory special checks preceding the appointment to a position.