– It is a dilemma. It is very important that we support Ukraine, but we will have corruption cases. That’s what Gro Skaaren-Fystro says. She is a special adviser at Transparency International Norway, an organization that works to fight corruption globally. The government and a majority in the Storting agreed this week on a five-year program of contributions to Ukraine, called the Nansen programme. The sum is a total of NOK 75 billion, with an annual amount of NOK 15 billion. – The money is needed in the reconstruction of Ukraine, but there are major corruption challenges that worry me. This will really be a test, says Skaaren-Fystro. At the end of January, the corruption index was launched by Transparency International. According to the organization, Ukraine is one of the world’s most corrupt countries. In the index, all the world’s countries are ranked according to the level of perceived corruption in the public sector. The scale has a score from 0 to 100, where 100 is the best. – Ukraine is in a very bad position in the European context when it comes to corruption. Europe as a whole has 66 points, while Ukraine has 33 points, says Skaaren-Fystro. Norway is in fourth place with 84 points, while Denmark reigns supreme with 90 points. Ukraine is in 116th place. Photo: Trygve Heide / news – No secret Liliia Honcharevych is the acting Ukrainian ambassador to Norway. She points out that it is no secret that Ukraine has had a problem with corruption, but that they are working hard to prevent it. – We have seen a strong response to this in Ukraine recently. Corruption is no longer tolerated, she states. Finance Minister Trygve Slagsvold Vedum acknowledges that many people can exploit the situation in Ukraine to their own advantage. – Single mistakes can happen, but we have to do what we can to avoid the money going astray. It is a war zone, but we have to keep a close eye on the equipment and the money we send, says Vedum to news. Finance Minister Trygve Slagsvold Vedum and Liliia Honcharevych after the government presented the Ukraine program to the Storting. Photo: Terje Pedersen / NTB Vedum says, among other things, that the money will go through major international players, including via the European investment bank EBRD. – It is extremely important that we are aware of the problem throughout, he says. Transparency International nevertheless believes that surveys they have carried out show that it is even more difficult to follow the money flows in the large organisations. – We have experienced that in the smaller organizations it has been easier to follow up, and that it is quicker to give up following the money flows in larger organisations, says Gro Skaaren-Fystro. She compares, among other things, with well-drilled Norwegian humanitarian organisations. – There are fewer challenges here, and that is partly because the Norwegian authorities make such strict demands on them. Taking important steps – How is the corruption situation in Ukraine really? – It is very serious. The challenges are very big, answers Skaaren-Fystro. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj this week received promises of NOK 75 billion from Norway. Photo: TELEGRAM/ZELENKSYJ Nevertheless, there are bright spots. The report highlights that, despite Ukraine’s “long-term problems with the use of power”, they have taken important steps to improve transparency and accountability, it says. – We see, among other things, that there have been several arrests in Ukraine in recent weeks, which are precisely about war profiteers. It is actually very impressive to see how civil society down there stands up to fight corruption – in the middle of a war, says Skaaren-Fystro. When Zelenskyj won the presidential election in 2019, the fight against corruption was one of his most important issues. – What impression do you have of Zelenskyi’s attitudes to corruption? – My impression is that he is very keen to fight corruption in the country. After all, he came to power with promises to work on exactly this, she replies.
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Warns that Norwegian money will end up in corrupt hands in Ukraine – news Norway – Overview of news from different parts of the country
