July 24 2015: combating corruption is a priority of the new Ukrainian government: embodied by the purges in public institutions on all levels, hotly debated in the parliament, and eagerly anticipated by the nation.
During a press conference today, Head of the Kharkiv regional state administration Ihor Raynin reported on the progress Kharkiv has made in the area. According to Mr. Raynin, more than 100 cases of underhanded dealings have been reported and logged in the past 5 months, which is more than during the five years before. Among the hardened corruptioneers now feeling the long arm of the law are policemen, prosecutors, traffic wardens and tax officers.
Here a direct quote from Mr. Raynin:
We will be working along two lines. the first is detecting facts and corrupt activity that is taking place. and here is where we will, even though you don’t like the phrase, stamp it down hard. Secondly, we will create an environment to prevent such activity.
Ihor Raynin also stated that the effort of law enforcement alone is not enough to detect corrupt officials and bring them to justice. He asked citizens to collaborate with the administration using, among other tools, a telephone hotline that will soon be launched. That, says Raynin, will ensure that suspicious deals immediately come under the radar of authorities.
