The electronic system for submitting property and interest statements was implemented with the World Bank’s assistance. Last year, with support from the World Bank, a set of amendments to legislation was introduced to strengthen the asset declaration regime. These include introduction of a regulation for verification of asset declarations, expansion of coverage to all assets and interests, including those held indirectly, and the strengthening of sanctions for conflict of interest violations. In continuation of this effort, a workshop on the use of electronic statements of public functionaries by civil society and the mass media was staged by the World Bank Office in Moldova. It involved experts and investigation journalists from Ukraine, IPN reports.
The electronic system for submitting property and interest statements was launched in 2017 with the financial support of the World Bank and its use became mandatory in January 2018. World Bank Country Manager for Moldova Anna Akhalkatsi said both in Moldova and in Ukraine, the World Bank supported the transition to electronic files.
David Bernstein, lead public sector specialist at the World Bank, said the fight against corruption is key in the region and the system for declaring property forms part of this effort. A good cooperation relationship between investigators, NGOs and the mass media is needed.
Ukrainian investigation journalist Denis Bihus told about the experience of his country. He said that after the electronic system for declaring property was launched in Ukraine, the access to these statements and other state registers was opened. The journalists can now re-verify the information in the real estate, property and legal entities registers. The first year was a real shock for the Ukrainian community as this gained access to a lot of data and all the legends about the bags with money were confirmed. In a year, the journalists started to focus not on what is declared, but on what is hidden.
Starting with January 1, 2018, the qualified subjects are obliged to summit statements only in electronic form, through the agency of the electronic service available on the official website of the National Integrity Authority.
