European Commission president urges Kyiv to step up anti-corruption reforms

BRUSSELS. July 1 (Interfax) - European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen urged Ukraine on Friday to step up national institutions' crackdown on corruption and to designate respective officials as soon as possible.

Investment in the Ukrainian recovery should be accompanied by reforms, von der Leyen said in her video address to the Verkhovna Rada.

She gave the example of anti-corruption measures and said that Ukraine had built an impressive anti-corruption mechanism but now these institutions need efficiency and competent management.

She called on Kyiv to appoint the head of the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office and the director of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau.

She pledged the EU's assistance on the Ukrainian road to the EU but asked Kyiv to intensify the reforms.

There is a long way to go, but Europe will stay together with Ukraine at every step for as long as it takes, von der Leyen said.

She also said that Ukraine should start drafting plans to reform the Constitutional Court.

There is need for laws to regulate the appointment of judges consistent with the recommendations from the Venice Commission, and institutions need to be reinstated to fulfill the aspirations of the Ukrainian people, von der Leyen said.

She also called for focusing on the implementation of a law to break oligarchs' control over the economic and political life of Ukraine in a legally sound manner, with due account of the upcoming Venice Commission recommendation.

There is need for adoption of a media law to harmonize Ukrainian legislation with EU standards, von der Leyen said.

Von der Leyen addressed the Ukrainian parliament in connection with the European Council's decision to grant EU candidate status to Ukraine. The status was given to Ukraine and Moldova on June 23.