ANTI-CORRUPTION PRACTICES IN THE PUBLIC SERVICE OF UKRAINE: CURRENT STATUS, IMPLEMENTATION CHALLENGES AND DEVELOPMENT PROSPECTS

Abstract

The article is devoted to a comprehensive analysis of the current state, identification of key challenges in the implementation and definition of promising directions for the development of anti-corruption practices in the public service of Ukraine. The analysis of the regulatory and legal framework in the field of preventing and combating corruption in the public service is carried out, its institutional basis is characterized. The emphasis is on the issue of electronic declaration of public servants in wartime and the introduction of additional legislative amendments.The main indicators of the activity of the profile institution in the field of corruption prevention are characterized in terms of full verification of declarations, monitoring of lifestyle, failure to submit (untimely) submission of declarations, special inspections of public servants and conflict of interest. The emphasis is on the anti-corruption strategy and the state anti-corruption program as a tactical step of the reform aimed at reducing corruption in public administration. The emphasis is on anti-corruption expertise as a mechanism for preventing corruption at the stage of developing regulatory and legal acts, which becomes a means of achieving the goals formed in the program and strategy. Generalized indicators of the assessment of the corruption experience of the population are presented and such key areas as construction and land relations, state and municipal medicine, the activities of law enforcement agencies and service centers of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and services of higher education institutions are identified in terms of prevalence. It was found that the current verification methodology, which actually copies the self-assessment questionnaire, does not perform this function, creating an additional workload for NACP officials and specialists by forming routine requests in contrast to analyzing the effectiveness of anti-corruption activities.The possibility of citizens to participate in the implementation of anti-corruption activities is noted. The emphasis is on the introduction of proactive communications in government bodies. Among the tools for involving the public in the implementation of anti-corruption practices, the emphasis is on public councils. It was found that the public’s awareness of public control tools remains critically low, and public servants are not motivated to take proactive steps in this direction. Educational projects for public servants are considered. Based on the analysis, anti-corruption practices are classified by functional purpose, which serves as a comprehensive study and identification of gaps for effective fight against corruption. It is substantiated that the introduction of a number of anti-corruption practices in the public service of Ukraine confirms progress, but the effectiveness of their use remains mixed. To achieve tangible results, it is necessary to strengthen monitoring, ensure the inevitability of punishment, and also increase the level of trust of citizens in anti-corruption bodies.