KYIV (Reuters) – Ukrainian lawmakers passed legislation aimed at boosting transparency in defence procurement on Friday as Kyiv tries to clamp down on corruption following a scandal at the defence ministry.
The measure, which now goes to President Volodymyr Zelenskiy for approval, will in part require defence ministry officials to publicly disclose the prices of purchases not related to arms.
Passage of the draft law, on the first anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, followed the publication of a media report in January alleging the ministry bought food at inflated prices.
The report caused a public outcry and was followed by a political shake-up, including at the defence ministry.
“In several months, we should see the unit prices for purchases of food and other goods and services for the military,” co-author Anastasia Radina wrote on Facebook.
“I will monitor the implementation of the law.”
The European Union has made anti-corruption reforms one of its key requirements for Ukraine’s membership after granting Kyiv the candidate status last year.
Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov said earlier this month he had “zero tolerance” for corruption and has also pledged to reboot his ministry’s anti-graft department and include experts and civic activists in reform efforts.
(Reporting by Dan Peleschuk, Editing by Timothy Heritage)
