At the forum ‘Accountability of Power: Effective Tools for Activists and Journalists,’ the National Agency for Corruption Prevention discussed effective monitoring of officials in the regions and the mistakes that journalists can make.
'Two years ago, lifestyle monitoring became an independent tool for financial control by comparing the lifestyle of officials with their declared property. The detected facts can serve as material for the High Anti-Corruption Court,'
According to the speech of NAZK representative Vyacheslav Bondarenko, the difference between the official's standard of living and their declared property should exceed 750 minimum living wages for further control.
Conflict of interest: detection and prevention
Deputy Head of the Monitoring Department of NAZK Artem Bryk explained that a conflict of interest can be potential or real. Journalists help to identify such cases, but they need to be carefully investigated.
'Currently, fewer violations are recorded because there is a training and compliance system,'
To prevent conflicts of interest, it is necessary to consider the specifics and the date of acquisition of assets after the relevant legislation is adopted.
During the discussions at the forum, the importance of studying and monitoring the property of officials to prevent corruption and conflicts of interest in the public sector was emphasized.