Corruption

Assessment of the effectiveness and independence of anti-corruption bodies: lawyers’ opinion

Almost 60% of lawyers and attorneys in Ukraine believe that the level of corruption has not decreased over the past five years, and more than a third of them consider sanctions for corruption crimes to be too lenient. These are the results of a study by Yurydychna Gazeta and AVER LEX conducted in October 2024, Komersant ukrainskyi reports.

The survey covered 178 professionals, mostly lawyers. Almost 40% of respondents have more than 8 years of professional experience, and 42% work in companies with national coverage.

Assessment of changes in the fight against corruption

The survey shows that only 38.79% of respondents believe that there have been positive changes in the fight against corruption over the past five years. At the same time, 37.07% believe that the situation has worsened, and another 21.55% have not noticed any significant changes.

Some lawyers emphasize that in 2020-2021, anti-corruption policy became more effective, but with the beginning of the full-scale invasion of Russia, efforts in this area weakened and corruption risks increased.

Independence of anti-corruption bodies

Only 15.79% of respondents consider the NABU, the SAPO, and the HACC to be independent. At the same time, 43.10% believe that these agencies operate under political influence, and another 41.10% are inclined to believe that their independence is partial.

The main reasons for doubts include pressure on anti-corruption officials, selectivity in prosecuting corrupt officials, and dependence on international partners.

Читайте нас у Telegram: головні новини коротко

Severity of punishment for corruption

Respondents’ opinions on punishment for corruption crimes were divided:

• 29.31% consider the sanctions too lenient or not severe enough;
• 31.90% consider them adequate;
• 38.79% consider the penalties to be excessively harsh.

At the same time, more than 60% of respondents emphasize the need to strengthen control over the execution of sentences in corruption cases, as they believe that the justice system still allows people to avoid real punishment.

The role of the public and the media

Almost 55% of attorneys agree that journalistic investigations and the activities of NGOs have a positive impact on the fight against corruption. However, 28% believe that the media is often used to exert political pressure on anti-corruption agencies.

Conclusions

The survey results demonstrate a deep crisis of trust in anti-corruption policy in Ukraine. Despite the introduction of a number of reforms, legal professionals believe that corruption risks remain high and the independence of the relevant bodies is questionable. The main challenge remains political pressure, as well as the effectiveness of the implementation of decisions.