On February 3 the Verkhovna Rada had to make a second attempt to approve, in the first reading, Bill No.1660D on the Anticorruption Bureau, which calls for changes in the current law on the NBU. A total of 283 MPs voted for this resolution.
At the same time, MPs agreed to decided, between the first and second readings, on a number of amendments and initiatives that had triggered an hours-long heated debate in parliament.
Among them is a system of checks and balances in the appointment of Anticorruption Bureau head.
The decision to support the bill in the first reading was made during the break at a meeting of faction leaders with Parliament Speaker Volodymyr Hroisman.
In his words, to prepare the right document for a second reading, the Committee on the Prevention and Control of Corruption “should take into account the amendments about checks and balances in the appointment and dismissal of the Anticorruption Bureau head.”
The main reason why parliament failed to pass this document on the first attempt is the absence of checks and balances in the appointment of the Anticorruption Bureau head.
Earlier, on Tuesday, MP Viktor Chumak (Petro Poroshenko Bloc faction) pointed out, introducing Bill No.1660D, that it was a compromise document based on the three bills that propose making changes to some legislative acts to ensure adequate performance of the National Anticorruption Bureau.
According to Chumak, the draft law sets out that nobody can dismiss the Anticorruption Bureau director without the consent of parliament. “Therefore, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine takes part in the dismissal [of the Anticorruption Bureau head. – Ed.], while the president takes a direct part in his appointment,” he explained.
As it was reported, the President of Ukraine is to appoint the Anticorruption Bureau head on the basis of a report submitted by a selection commission under the President of Ukraine. The draft law suggests that parliament need not approve this.
Under the current law on the Anticorruption Bureau, the president is to appoint the bureau director by his decree after the Verkhovka Rada has given its consent.
Chumak also pointed out that this draft law suggests that the National Anticorruption Bureau be formed on the basis of the detectives who will share the offices of investigator and crime scene operative. It is also proposed to establish a specialized anticorruption prosecution service and enlarge the list of the officials subject to the Anticorruption Bureau’s jurisdiction. This list includes, incidentally, the former presidents of Ukraine.
