Cooperation of NGOs and local authorities – is the basis in the fight against corruption

On October 22, 2015 NGO "European dialogue" with support of Fund of assistance of democracy of Embassy of the USA in Ukraine held a round table on the theme: "Mechanisms of cooperation between NGOs and local public authorities in the fight against corruption".
 
The main issues of discussion during a meeting of community activists and government representatives were:
 
  • What are anti-corruption mechanisms for cooperation in the field of combating corruption between the public authorities/local governments and civil society institutions? What additional mechanisms, in Your opinion, are most needed today to resolve issues in the fight against corruption?
 
  • What needs to be done to ensure that the fight against corruption has become a common cause of public authorities/local government and civil society institutions?
 
Thus, government and the public representatives, key attention focused on the lack of adequate coordination of efforts in the implementation of the legislation aimed at ensuring efficient fight against corruption. Perhaps the most extensive discussion here raised the question of whether there is a need of public disclosure of the declarations of the officials who undergo the procedure of lustration. Upon analysis of public pages of public authorities we can be faced with repeated violations of applicable requirements. However, among the participants there was an urgent question: "Is it important to familiarize with such simple declarations of performers, individuals, whose salary is up to 1500 UAH.?"
 
In our opinion, corruption is a phenomenon which has penetrated too deeply into the lives of ordinary Ukrainians. Therefore, if we want to change the system, we have to fight with the generally established practice of "fine thanks", which are nothing more than the epitome of the corruption element; we need to take responsibility for compliance with all regulations – rights and duties stipulated by law. Today we do not have any right to speak about even the slightest possibility of failure of the law because it is "absurd". We may not comply with its provisions only when it will be lifted, or it will be amended accordingly. Current society has a unique opportunity to contribute to the gradual eradication of corruption in the vastness of our country. Such a function we can fulfill only together, having United efforts of society and government.
 
According to the Director of Fund of assistance of democracy of Embassy of the USA in Ukraine, the most effective today, must recognize not only the fight against corruption, but also General prevention. For this we need to implement monitoring, statistical activities, to use the experience of those who have achieved results in the implementation of relevant activities.
 
"Analyzing the causes of corruption, we want fully to support the view that the key reasons of its occurrence at the national level is the growing impoverishment of wide layers of the population in our state and, on the other hand, high inequality of income distribution. Today our state is at the stage of launching an effective fight against corruption. We understand that this process takes too long. However, the effectiveness of its implementation depends solely on each of us. It's we who create the state, and everyone must answer for their deeds and actions. Remember, corruption is manifested not only in receiving improper benefits. Corruption is a wide phenomenon, which manifests itself both in receiving and in giving undue advantage, abuse of authority and official duties, abuse of power or official authority, and the like. Few people think about it, and therefore we have corresponding results. Therefore confidently, I support the position that a key means of fighting corruption is education. Knowledge of the law is the basis of "correct" actions, the basis for the development of society", said lawyer, a member of the NGO "Community Development" Solomiya Starosolska.