The United States allocates approximately $1.5 billion a month to the state budget of Ukraine, and the last tranche of the fiscal year is expected in September. The United States wants Ukraine to fulfill one specific condition.
According to several sources of RBC-Ukraine, an informal condition arose for the allocation of money from the United States – the preparation of a bill to strengthen the institutional independence and efficiency of the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAP).
The adoption of such a law by the end of 2023 is one of the conditions for the allocation of macro-financial assistance from the European Union and lending from the IMF. However, the US wants to see a clearer algorithm for its implementation. “The draft law on BRT must be prepared before September 15 – there is such a wish from the United States,” a source in the government said.
As noted in the publication, interest in the anti-corruption topic overseas did not arise by chance. In the West, by allocating large aid packages to Ukraine, both for humanitarian and military needs, they want to be sure that these funds are used for the intended purposes.
Specific changes to the BRT law
If we talk specifically about the SAP, then the main problem lies in the powers of its head. This is regularly pointed out to the West by both the anti-corruption security forces themselves and Ukrainian public figures. The thing is that initially this body was created as an independent division of the Prosecutor General’s Office to investigate corruption cases against senior officials. In fact, the SAPO still does not have a separate legal status and remains administratively and procedurally dependent on the Office of the Prosecutor General. Without the consent of the Prosecutor General, it is now impossible to make personnel decisions, initiate proceedings against a people’s deputy, or make a decision on extradition.
An interlocutor of RBC-Ukraine from the government said that the draft law on SAPO independence is planned to be prepared by mid-September, as Western partners want. “There shouldn’t be any problems with this. If necessary, the bill will be ready,” the interlocutor said.
Whether the document will ensure the necessary independence of the SAP and whether the deputies will support it is still unknown. It is worth recalling that the first bill on SAPO independence was submitted to the Rada in early 2023, but was criticized by the relevant committee and withdrawn from consideration.
Earlier, Finance Minister Sergei Marchenko said that Ukraine will need more than $40 billion in international assistance in 2024, but it is not yet guaranteed.
