Ukraine loses a third of its budget to corruption, says former minister
22 May 20:25
Yuriy Kostenko, a five-term member of the Ukrainian Parliament and former Minister of Environmental Protection and Nuclear Safety, stated in an interview with the YouTube channel "Komersant Ukrainian" that Ukraine loses a significant portion of its budget to corruption every year, and that once the war ends, the country will need a complete political reset.
According to Kostenko, Western partners have repeatedly drawn Ukraine’s attention to the scale of corruption and the need for domestic reforms.
“According to our estimates, Ukraine loses about a third of its budget to corruption. That’s roughly $15 billion in today’s terms,” he said.
The politician explained that international partners had suggested Ukraine first recover the funds lost through corruption schemes and only then count on additional financial support.
“If you are so radically committed to reforms and the fight against corruption, then collect those $15 billion from the corrupt officials and direct them toward reforms. And we will add the rest, as much as is needed,” Kostenko relayed the position of Western partners.
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“There has been no real fight against corruption”
The former minister stated that following such proposals, Ukraine failed to demonstrate systematic steps in the fight against corruption. According to Kostenko, this is precisely why international partners began creating separate oversight mechanisms and aid funds for Ukraine.
Kostenko also expressed the view that responsibility for the quality of governance lies not only with politicians but also with voters. The Constitution of Ukraine does not allow elections to be held during martial law; however, according to the politician, a renewal of government must take place after the end of hostilities.
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