Ukraine's Rada plans next week to review Zelensky's proposals to vetoed bill on online asset declarations

MOSCOW. Sept 14 (Interfax) - Ukraine's Verkhovna Rada intends next week to review President Vladimir Zelensky's proposals to a bill reinstating electronic asset declarations for officials of government agencies and local administrations, the Ukrainian parliament's First Deputy Speaker Alexander Korniyenko said.

The Ukrainian parliament will consider the proposals "as soon as we have a [plenary] session," Ukrainian media quoted Korniyenko as saying.

"It will take place next week. We won't announce any dates. And I think that it will be one of the first issues to be debated," he said.

As reported, the draft legislation was adopted by the Verkhovna Rada in the second and final reading on September 5. Under the bill, there will be no public access to officials' asset declarations for one more year. An amendment has also made, stipulating that if an official lies in the declaration about assets worth less than 1.3 million hryvni but pays a fine, he will not be added to the country's unified state register of persons who have committed corruption and corruption-related offenses.

As soon as the bill was passed, the National Agency on Corruption Prevention asked the president to veto it, and he did so on September 12. In his proposals, Zelensky emphasized the need to ensure public access to these declarations, but taking into account the specifics of certain groups of declarants (Armed Forces servicemen).