Irreversible changes are afoot in Ukraine. The country once looked upon by other European countries as “poor corrupt Ukraine” is changing. Perhaps not fast enough for some but changing it is. Once riven with corruption and impunity, Ukraine has steadily made progress in rooting it out of their governance. It is still a worrisome aspect of the society. What with the regular news of unearthed corruption scandals in high offices.
It is worrisome enough that Ukraine’s hoped-for accession to membership of the EU is predicated on significant progress in rooting out corruption … the 10-point road map memorandum between the EU and Ukraine, known as the Kachka-Koss Plan attests to this.
But the difference now compared to earlier times is that corruption in high places is being aggressively investigated, uncovered and the erstwhile concomitant impunity is no longer ignored or accepted as “okay”. High placed officials are being publicly perp-walked in handcuffs, trialed, jailed and made to disgorge ill-gotten gains. Many powerful and wealthy well-connected Ukrainian oligarchs such as former presidential close friend and business partner, Timur Mindich as well as the once-upon-a-time wealthiest man in modern Ukrainian history, Ihor Kolomoisky, are now fugitives from the law[reportedly in Israel].
The progress continues and yesterday news came that European Commissioner for Enlargement, Marta Kos(mentioned above in regards to Kachka-Kos) is set to present individual accession roadmaps...
THE BILLING GRID A weekly column on research billing and coverage analysis, by Krishma Shah A coordinator submits a lab requisition. The central lab bills it to the site. The site bills it to Medi...