Yulia Sviridenko has dismissed concerns about widespread graft amid a clampdown on oversight agencies

New Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Sviridenko sought to downplay longstanding concerns about corruption in the country in an interview with Bloomberg published on Tuesday. An escalating clampdown on independent anti-graft agencies has drawn international scrutiny.

Sviridenko cited recent polling data suggesting that while most Ukrainians believe corruption is widespread, far fewer report encountering it directly.

"To be frank, within Ukrainian society and certain social groups, the issue is being amplified and overemphasized," Sviridenko claimed in the interview, without elaborating.

On Monday, Ukrainian security officials raided the offices of the country's independent anti-corruption agency, the NABU, arresting two investigators. Established in 2015 as part of judicial reforms aimed at aligning Ukraine with Western standards, the NABU has long been seen as one of the country's few credible anti-corruption institutions.

The raids have sparked "serious concerns" from the ambassadors of the Group of Seven - Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK, and US - who said the issue would be formally raised with the Ukrainian leadership.

On Tuesday, lawmakers added to the concerns by approving draft legislation that would place the NABU and the Special Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO) under the authority of the general prosecutor, who is appointed by the president. Bloomberg described the bill as one that could "potentially cripple efforts to tackle high-level graft."

Reuters cited a Western diplomat calling the developments "the most dangerous moment yet" for Ukraine's anti-graft institutions. Kiev, the diplomat said, was "testing the limits" of its Western allies "more and more."

The European Commission also voiced alarm, emphasizing that the agencies must "operate independently to...maintain public trust." Brussels has long identified corruption as a major obstacle to Kiev's EU membership ambitions.

Ukraine has developed a reputation for endemic corruption, a problem that has worsened since the escalation of conflict with Russia in 2022, as the defense sector has been rocked by procurement scandals and donors have demanded greater transparency.

In April, US National Security Adviser Michael Waltz called for tighter oversight of US financial aid, describing Ukraine as "one of the most corrupt nations in the world."

(RT.com)