You're reading: Sytnyk: Launch of Anti-Corruption Court in Ukraine in 2018 to become trial for Ukrainian authorities

Director of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) Artem Sytnyk has said that the launch of the anti-corruption court in Ukraine in 2018 will be a trial for the Ukrainian authorities on the political will to fight corruption.

“We are close to the point of no return in the anti-corruption reform. Either in 2018 a court that will be able to review these cases [cases related to corruption] will be established and it will be done with it, or Ukraine will confirm that we don’t have political will in the struggle with corruption,” Sytnyk said at a joint briefing with SAPO CEO Nazar Kholodnytsky in Kyiv on February 8.

He noted that for a very long time the discussions on the draft law on the Anti-Corruption Court continued, and finally, at the end of 2017, it was introduced to the parliament.

“I am very glad that now there is already a law in the parliament on the Anticorruption Court – the draft law – and was introduced by the authorized subject – the president of Ukraine,” he said.

“I hope that this court will be launched this year because I responsibly declare that if this law is adopted in February or March, then this institution can be created before the end of 2018. And this will be a trial for our authority about the political will on fighting corruption,” said Sytnyk.

He noted that without the Anti-Corruption Court, the activities of NABU will not be effective, since only the court decides whether the person is guilty or not.