What will the citizens of Ukraine learn about their leaders on April 1?

April 1 is not only a world-celebrated day of laughter, or a fool's feast, but also a deadline set for Ukrainian deputies and officials to whom they are legally required to pass declarations on income and property belonging to them. Since last year, this information is provided electronically on a website specially created for this purpose. On March 29, a cabinet meeting took place in Kiev, during which Prime Minister Groisman chided officials responsible for the work of the resource. The displeasure of the head of the government was caused by constantly arising technical difficulties and failures, which do not allow fulfilling the requirements of the law. A non-filed e-declaration entails criminal prosecution under an article providing for punishment in the form of a two-year imprisonment. But is it only a matter of computers and servers?

The year passed - the same problems

A year ago, when the e-declaration was submitted for the first time, exactly the same problems occurred. 12 months - the period is quite long, and during this time the system, obviously, could be adjusted, but it still fails. Deputies, officials and many civil servants, according to the prime minister, are hanging out in front of the monitors, nervous, but they do not succeed. The data is not saved, it's almost impossible to enter the site. However, not only technical difficulties upset Vladimir Groisman, but the inactivity of NAPK, that is, the national anti-corruption agency. Head of this state structure Natalia Korchak in response to criticism, perhaps in something just, did not remain silent, but went into a determined counterattack. Firstly, they do not give any work, and not some hypothetical enemies of power, but the most that its representatives are, and secondly, judging by many signs, the state does not need an electronic declaration system.

Why is electronic declaration introduced?

Previously, there were also declarations, but paper forms, on forms. A serious shortcoming of the old order adopted under the previous presidents, from Kravchuk to Yanukovych, and for more than a year functioning under Poroshenko, is the lack of transparency, that is, the inaccessibility of information about the welfare of the holders of power for the broad masses of the people. Since openness has become one of the main slogans of the Maidan, one can partly acknowledge that the introduction of electronic declaring is dictated by the will of the revolutionary masses, who have realized their dignity. But not only the Maydanovs influenced this process. The West, and in particular the European Union, also demanded the transfer to the system adopted there. By giving another tranche or negotiating for visa-free travel, the new strategic partners of Kiev wanted, if not to be confident, at least to have grounds for hope that money will not be stolen, and not only thieves but decent officials will cross the border. The wishes of the Ukrainian people and Western bureaucratic structures coincided. A year ago, the electronic declaration system worked.

What is entered in the register?

According to the plan, the system is unique, and according to one of the authors of the law, the deputy head of the NAPK Viktor Chumak, even in the countries recognized as leaders in the field of fighting corruption, there is no such thing. Deputies and officials, of course, must report on the availability of all sorts of expensive property from them and register it, that is, fill in the columns of the electronic form, - list their cars, bank accounts, and, of course, real estate. But in addition, you need to specify the cash flow and then, in what currency it is stored at home or somewhere else. Fantasies of the authors of the draft law on declaration were enough to take into account various possible tricks. Large funds can be invested in the most unusual, and even exotic items. Now, regardless of the nature of the thing, whether it's a rare book or a postage stamp, or some ancient dagger, or at all, it is subject to declaration if it costs more than a hundred "minimalok". Currently it is $ 5000.

What are the officials and deputies rich in?

The first in the history of Ukraine campaign for electronic declaration of property and income of "servants of the people" was completed in October 2016 and caused more surprise than indignation, although for the last reason objectively. It turned out that the officials and deputies of the new formation, who had puffed up their predecessors' cravings for "graceful life", did not differ in principle from them, at least in this aspect. The tasteless atmosphere of the prosecutor's dwelling, the golden loaves and the toilet bowls - the splendor of all this luxury has faded in comparison with car parks, collections of Swiss watches, French wines and medieval weapons, indicated by the recent participants of the Maidan as their legitimate property. It turned out that the deputy from the Radical Party, Andrei Lozovoi, even owns holy relics in a special cross, which is unknown for which money and from whom it was acquired. Someone has his own personal church. And what not?

Where does all this come from?

In itself, the fact of owning some kind of wealth is nothing criminal. And even from the moral point of view and taking into account the poverty of the native country, in which 60% of people live on means estimated below the poverty level, it is also difficult to reproach a person for violating some legal norms. At the time of the celebration of the Maidan, no one came up with the idea of making a "control measure" of the well-being of the "revolutionaries", eager for power, and now they have reason to assert that their good is acquired in the years when they "were engaged in business" or worked somehow Lawyers-bankers, or something extremely profitable did. The realities are basically such that these people most often came to the Rada or ministerial offices in tattered camouflage, and after a year and a suit, and a car, and a clock, and a look-everything became different. And they grow stout for some reason ...

Declaration and reaction

Last year, the declaration submitted one hundred thousand people obliged to do it. It can not be asserted that the anti-corruption bureau, having become acquainted with all this "sparkling disgrace", closed its eyes to it. The reaction was - the investigation began to find sources of such rapid enrichment. Where did a deputy, a couple of years ago, dream of a vacancy for a sales manager in an average firm with a salary of four hundred dollars, now a collection of centenarian wines? How on his plump wrist found himself a chronometer made in Geneva, worth several a year's ministerial salaries? And where is the account in foreign currency? And the cash at home in it - hundreds of thousands and even millions (for some reason the patriots disdain the greetings)? And submit it here! The man was severely checked by thirty. In violation of the law, no one was caught. And let the townsfolk not dream that "they will put everyone in jail." The aforementioned Victor Chumak is not disappointed, he does not think that it is necessary to go on about the crowd. The law is most important.

Expansion of the base

Over the past year, it was decided to increase tenfold the number of people falling under the law on compulsory electronic declaration in Ukraine. Instead of a hundred thousand of them there will be a million, including policemen and members of the village soviets. Since the new declarants have no experience with the sophisticated system, they are allowed to report their incomes and ownership in a month later - before May 1. Now, obviously, we should expect some revival of investigative activity. Minor offenders catch on violations are much easier, more pleasant and safer than big bosses or battalion commanders.

A look from abroad

In the West, with approval, they observe the progressive openness of income of Ukrainian chiefs. The reaction of the American ambassador, Marie Jovanovic, is noteworthy, the woman is by no means naive and not stupid and certainly understands the essence of the processes taking place in the country. She "unambiguously" asserts that e-declaration is only the beginning, the first step in the fight against corruption, but for some reason does not specify what exactly will happen next. It is hard to imagine that the powers that be will begin to struggle with themselves. A new Maidan is not foreseen, freedom freedom for Ukrainians has been exhausted for unknown reasons. However, the nature of this mysterious phenomenon Jovanovic, perhaps, also guesses ...