The Director of the World Bank, responsible for the Ukrainian direction, has sent a letter to the Verkhovna Rada and the presidential administration, warning of the inadmissibility of passing the law on Anti-Corruption Court (ACC), revised by the president. This is reported by the Yevropeyska Pravda at the disposal of which a copy of the letter was.
The World Bank warned that if Ukraine is interested in securing WB's guarantees worth $800 million it should bring the draft law in line with recommendations, provided by the Venice Commission.
"The draft law (on Anti-Corruption Court, submitted by Poroshenko) requires the following revisions to bring it into alignment with the recommendations of the VC and satisfy the requirements of the World Bank's estimated $800 million guarantees to support key reforms in Ukraine", - the letter said.
Most WB's requirements are inherently the same as those listed in the IMF letter. At the same time, the positions of the World Bank and the IMF somewhat differ in the procedure for amending the bill.
As previously reported, the IMF addressed head of the presidential administration Ihor Rainin, expecting that President Poroshenko would submit a revised law to the Rada. This drew the fire of Bankova, where it was stated that they did not intend to file a new bill. But in a letter from the WB, signed by regional director Satu Kakhonen, the main addressee is chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Andriy Parubiy. At the same time, the WB noted that submission of a new bill is not mandatory.
"We believe that these changes can be introduced in the legislative process, if there is strong political leadership and support of this process by the president and leadership of the parliament", - the document said.
In order to unblock financial support from the World Bank, the Verkhovna Rada should change the jurisdiction of the ACC. "We strongly recommend bringing jurisdiction of the ACC in line with the jurisdiction of the NABU and the SAP", - the letter of the WB said. It is also noted that this was one of the key recommendations of the Venice Commission - this also applies to all subsequent requirements, listed in the letter.
The second requirement of the WB is to change the qualification requirements for the ACC's judges: "The bill establishes broad and unrealistic requirements for candidates, wishing to work as judges of the ACC… This will lead to a substantial reduction in the competition for these positions". First of all, this refers to an unrealistic demand for work experience simultaneously in Ukraine and in international anti-corruption organizations or judicial bodies.
The third requirement: the public council should be given the right to veto the candidacies of dishonest applicants for work as the ACC judges, instead of the advisory role, now provided for them. "Their advisory role will shatter the confidence, which international partners could give to the selection process", - the letter said.
A special focus is put on the fact that members of the public council should be delegated not only by international organizations, but also by donors, who systematically support anti-corruption reforms in Ukraine.
There is also a block of claims regarding those provisions of the presidential bill that could significantly impede the start of work of the ACС.
At the same time, most IMF recommendations coincide with claims of Ukrainian anti-corruption activists to the draft law of Poroshenko.