The experienced expert emphasized that the reforms in Ukraine take place «under pressure from the foreign donors. The government will not be brought under control if the society does not insist on such control».
He believed that only institutions overcome institutions. «The impulse of Maidan can be saved if institutions are created that maintain that momentum. Those are the independent media, civic organisations, business associations and political opponents».
Vitaliy SHABUNIN highlighted that «many civic donors offer money for anticorruption projects. I do not understand why in Ukrainian civic sector there are so few groups such as ours.».
Head of the Board of Anticorruption Action Centre noted that transparent public authorities are a key and the most required element for curbing corruption. That is why he asserted that the first step in fighting corruption is to identify «the corruption gaps» in legislation, make changes and lobby for their adoption. These measures, in his opinion, «provide an opportunity to reduce possibility of stealing and provide possibility to expose thieving». The second step, from his point of view, is monitoring, however the expert noted that «only our Centre definitely will not be able to cover everything. That’s why we develop tools for control and teach civic activists, media representatives and local delegates».
«In many countries of the world the policy means optimal use of social resources, however in Ukraine, policy means stealing of this resource. The magnitude of corruption in the country is immense. It’s not sufficient to have only our team and our partners to monitor even 20 percent of the volume of public procurement. This is why there is a critical need for civic society to produce more professional organisations. The more will be us, the bigger will be possibility that our money will be used more efficiently», - emphasized Vitaliy SHABUNIN.
FOR INFORMATION:
‘Open World’ Discussion Club is an educational project of the Arseniy Yatsenyuk’s Open Ukraine Foundation for socially active young people. The purpose of the project is to educate new generation of responsible leaders. Each month the Foundation initiates lectures with renowned experts, political and public figures for discussing efficient solutions to social problems in Ukraine and in the world.
