Ukraine's leading English-language newspaper since 1995

As articles in this week’s Kyiv Post point out, the practice of paying bribes is still common for many citizens, particularly when interacting with teachers, doctors and, ironically, law enforcement. Many of these transactions could be eliminated if the bribes were simply brought out of the shadows and legalized as fees.

t, the root of the problem is that teachers, doctors, judges, cops and other civil servants are grossly underpaid. And so to fill the void of an ineffective government, a shadow market has blossomed. To ensure that a student gains admission to the right institute, or that a doctor cures a sick patient, or to get out of a traffic violation, cash is paid.

The system is institutionalized and has become such a fixed custom that, for most citizens, it would be hard to imagine another way of getting things done. And while these off-the-book payments are detrimental to any nation’s culture, a solution isn’t far away. Many of these transactions could be eliminated if the bribes were simply brought out of the shadows and legalized as fees.

In medicine, a long-term solution is to privatize much of the health care system. In education, private schools should be encouraged. They’d be more expensive, but also more transparent. Boosting official salaries for all state-funded employees to realistic levels is also essential.

So why not legalize many of these shadow payments by introducing official payments for entrance exams, medical services and traffic violations?

Such legal payments have helped clean up the process of gaining approvals provided by various agencies that inspect such places as construction sites and restaurants. It is time to expand these payments to other areas, as a way to more clearly distinguish an illicit bribe from a legitimate fee.