Luhansk NGO made propositions on how to avoid corruption in the land distribution sphere
PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
September 7, 2007
LUHANSK NGO MADE PROPOSITIONS ON HOW TO AVOID CORRUPTION IN THE LAND DISTRIBUTION SPHERE
Luhansk. Today representatives of local leading non-governmental anti-corruption activists presented their first findings on land-related corruption to local government officials and visiting US State Department officials.
The organizations are all part of a 2-year anti-corruption initiative, funded by USAID and implemented by Management Systems International. In Luhansk, the project currently supports 4 civic groups that monitor corruption in various areas, including land protection at historical sites, and communal land (belonging to multi-story houses), and the City's budget process.
All presenters agreed that corruption in the land sphere remains one of the most critical ssues. Recent cases when recreational land was used for construction caused wide protests. Activists noted that buildings in the city are often constructed in violation of fire, sanitation, or ecological regulations with no or little interference from the local government. Also, city administrations land distribution and construction decisions are made without the - legally required - consultations with local residents.
"The fight with land corruption is not possible without cooperation with civil society and media. These two branches need to keep the government accountable, but also to work constructively with those in power to ensure the situation improves." - said Juhani Grossmann, ACTION Project Director.
ACTION conducts ongoing research to measure the level of corruption in various spheres. A survey conducted in August survey of 1200 respondents throughout Ukraine showed:
37,6% of Ukrainians consider corruption occurs in sphere of land privatization, ownership and usage;
62,3% viewed the government's anti-corruption efforts in that sphere as ineffective.
Over the last 12 months, 8% of respondents interacted with local officials responsible for land privatization, ownership or usage. Of these, a quarter (24,9%) were extorted for bribes and 7% offered bribes voluntary.
The participants made two concrete proposals for limiting corruption:
Adopting of a city legislative act that would spell out how civic participation and consultation needs to take place ahead of adopting land-related decisions.
Creating an electronic cadastre of free land areas that are available for sale or rent.
This roundtable was initiated by the "Promoting Active Citizen Engagement in Combating Corruption in Ukraine" project, which is implemented by Management Systems International Inc., in partnership with over 60 Ukrainian organizations. The project is supported by the Millennium Challenge Corporation and managed by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The project is a two-year activity that supports non-governmental monitoring and advocacy on priority areas in the fight against corruption.
