The corruption in Ukraine

Corruption is illegal activity, which means using by the officers their rights and job
opportunities for personal enrichment. In other words it is a corruptibility of public and
political figures. Corruption is inherent to all countries regardless of the political system
and the level of economic development. The difference in the corruption level in
different countries is only in its size.
It is well known fact that corruption is rising, when the country is in the process of
transformation. Such process is going on in Ukraine. As it can be seen from the recent
events, because of the corruption and the impunity of officials, Ukraine plunged into the
war. One can ask in what way? I want to admit that it was not the main reason, but one
of them. Our previous government was the most corrupted and this system was
supported by Russian Federation. Following the instructions of Putin our President has
not signed the association with the European Union. The President of the neighboring
state had his own goals. He wanted to disorganize our community and to invade some
regions of our country.
But we also have to remember, that not only officials, but also ordinary citizens
promote corruptibility. Every 50-100 Hryvnas and more, given illegally to a doctor,
teacher or policeman will never destroy this corruptive system. All complaints to the top
of our government are useless, when we do not start changes in the country from
ourselves, because citizens are the roots, which create the state.
Rhett Battler, the hero of the novel “Gone with the wind” has said that “the most
money, one can earn, creating the state or destructing it”. I can agree with him, because
this statement is relevant nowadays. After Maydan a number of billionaires is totally
rising. Maydan has not destroyed the corruption, has not made the officials desist from
the desire of getting more and more rich, but it has given to the society a lot of tools,
which we can use for fighting. One of them is the investigative journalism. During the
time of Yanukovych or Soviets Union it was a dangerous activity. However nowadays,
exposing corruption scheme, a journalist has a chance to observe not only restoring of
the truth, but also the punishment of guilty.
Actually, after Maydan a “golden age” of journalists’ investigations has started in
Ukraine. Such famous projects as “Slidstvo.Info” or “Nashi groshi”, opening new crimes
give a ground for work of the law-enforcement authorities.
Step by step the situation is stabilizing. After the devastation, clearing debris, we are
digging trenches to build a new solid state. To prevent creating of new cracks in this
building, we should avoid old materials in the form of corrupted officials and judges.
As a famous Ukrainian investigator Dmytro Gnap said: “A wolf will never become a
vegetarian”. A “virus” corruption is spreading very fast and we should protect our new
government from the leaders of the old system. It must become the first step in the fight
with this virus. The second step is – to imprison for the attempt of giving bribe or for its
receiving, and immediate dismissal from the position without possibility to return.
The third step is – any nomination should be completed with the participation of
journalists. And the fourth step should be related to journalists. If one wants to work as a
journalist, he or she should make a successful investigation. It would be a test of
endurance, competence and incorruptibility.
To sum up I would like to add, that journalists now are playing an important part in
the society as it has been never before. Their participation is remarkable.