This is reported by RBK-Ukraine, referencing comments from the head of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on State Governance, Local Self-Government, Regional Development, and Urban Planning, as well as the leader of the "Servant of the People" party, Olena Shuliak, citing the results of a sociological study titled "Corruption in Ukraine 2024: Understanding, Perception, Prevalence," presented on January 24. This information comes from Kontrakty.UA.
The most corrupt services identified include the registration of land plots in the State Land Cadastre and bribes to evade responsibility for traffic violations.
According to her, the three areas highlighted by Ukrainians in terms of corruption prevalence are construction and land relations, state and municipal healthcare, and law enforcement activities. Corruption in land relations is noted by 44.1% of citizens, in state and municipal healthcare by 28.5%, and in law enforcement by 28.5%.
"At the same time, unlike medical services, where corrupt practices have decreased over the year, land relations and law enforcement activities are areas where corrupt practices have increased compared to 2023. If in the previous year, 32.5% of Ukrainians spoke of corruption in land relations, by the end of last year, that figure rose to 44.1%. The same trend is observed concerning law enforcement agencies - the figure was 23.4% in 2023 and increased to 28.5% in 2024," Shuliak reported.
"In both areas, as we see from the research results, the initiators of corrupt practices are predominantly officials rather than citizens seeking various services. In land relations, officials initiated corruption in 38.9% of cases, while visitors did so in 13.8%. The situation with law enforcement is similar - in 24.3% of cases, they were the initiators, and only in 8.6% were the visitors," noted Olena Shuliak.
In terms of land relations, the TOP-5 corrupt situations identified during the survey include:
- Registration of land plots in the State Land Cadastre;
- Adoption of a decision on the privatization of a household plot;
- Adoption of a decision on the privatization of a land plot for personal farming;
- Issuance of a permit for land management documentation development and its approval for the privatization of a household plot;
- Decision to change the purpose of a land plot.
In law enforcement activities, the TOP-5 most corrupt situations include:
- Unofficial payments to officials to evade responsibility for traffic violations;
- Unofficial payments during document checks by patrol police at stationary posts and checkpoints;
- During checks by police of military registration documents, evading administrative detention and transportation to the TCC;
- To avoid responsibility for administrative offenses, excluding traffic safety violations;
- To evade responsibility during police checks of identity documents or permissions to be in public places, as well as during personal searches.
"Currently, corruption issues concern Ukrainians as much as the full-scale invasion and its consequences. According to recent sociological studies, concerns about the level of corruption in the country have increased by 11% over the past year. Therefore, minimizing corruption risks through the continuation of decentralization measures and the digitalization of reconstruction and recovery processes is one of the most urgent needs at all levels of government," emphasized Shuliak.
She reminded that as of January 1, Law No. 711 "On Amendments to Certain Legislative Acts of Ukraine Regarding Planning Land Use" came into effect. According to this law, to change the land designation or allocate a plot for construction, the community must now rely on a comprehensive spatial development plan for the territorial community or a current, rather than outdated, master plan for the settlement. The use of detailed land plans (DLP) - one of the most corrupt instruments in urban planning - has been prohibited.