You're reading: Klitschko: Kyiv to use Georgia’s experience in conducting reforms

 Kyiv is to use Georgia's experience to conduct reforms in the capital, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko has said.

“Right now we’re working with the team of (former Georgian President) Mikheil Saakashvili – with the people who conducted reforms in Georgia,” Klitschko said during an exclusive interview with Interfax-Ukraine news agency.

According to him, it’s connected to the creation of the so-called Houses of Justice, that works according to an “open window” principle.

Klitschko noted that the key task was to break up corrupt schemes and expose all the violations to the public.

“I don’t want to deceive anyone and practice populism. I will be honest: it’s the truth, I won’t have enough time to make a lot of changes within one-and-a-half years. But I will launch processes that can’t be stopped. This is my task. If we show how it is supposed to work no one will be able to stop (the reforms) in motion,” mayor said.

According to Klitschko, the lustration of the officials is already being slowly conducted in the mayor’s office.

“I meet with dozens people on a daily basis to interview and talk to them. Most deputies have already handed in letters of resignation. A number of the directors of public utilities companies have been fired, as well. We are talking to the others, setting goals for them and watch how they see an increase of work efficiency on their enterprises and the elimination of corrupt schemes. If a person’s professional skills are suitable, and he hasn’t been involved in corruption scandals, he can stay for a trial period,” the mayor said.

According to Klitschko, an internal audit department has been created to monitor the operation of the mayor’s office. There are already some results – materials have been sent to the prosecutor’s office.

“A team is being formed right now. We need to create an effective team of crisis managers within a small timeframe. They can’t be described in any other way, as to overcome the situation that both municipal services and overall economy of the country are in, we need experts who are ready to devote themselves to work and who understand the colossal difficulty of our tasks,” Klitschko said.

His answer to the question, if there have already been attempts to bribe or threaten him, was: “Threats are coming. I’m a difficult person to scare, let them try. This is the first part (of the question). Bribes? It’s pointless to try to bribe me, and everybody knows that too. I’ve not come here to make money. I’m expensive (laughing), as one’s principles can’t be bought.”