Фото: Дом прессы
The Prosecutor General’s Office wants to introduce continuous financial monitoring of public officials and expand the use of confiscation in corruption cases. Senior prosecutor at the Prosecutor General’s Office Andrei Fedarovichau announced the plans at a press conference at the Press House.
“The House of Representatives is currently working with our participation on further amendments that would reform the system of income and asset declarations and introduce real-time financial monitoring using the latest capabilities of information systems. The possibility is also being discussed of confiscating assets from all categories of public officials and their close relatives if they cannot confirm the lawful origin of those assets. At present, this measure can only be applied to officials holding positions of responsibility,” he said.
According to Fedorovichev, 705 corruption offences have been recorded this year, half of them in Minsk and Minsk Region. Bribery accounts for 60% of corruption offences, while embezzlement by officials accounts for 28%. Most cases are linked to procurement, contract execution and the management of state property.
“This year, the Prosecutor General’s Office opened a criminal case under Part 4 of Article 210 of the Criminal Code over the theft of more than 1,000 tonnes of rapeseed worth 1.4 million roubles by a deputy head of one of the grain-processing enterprises in Minsk Region and several other individuals.
As for industrial enterprises, bribery predominates there. We uncovered a scheme that had operated for 10 years, involving the bribery of officials at industrial enterprises across the country. They received bribes from representatives of a group of foreign companies in exchange for selecting those companies as suppliers of industrial equipment and spare parts. A total of 21 officials have been prosecuted, including top executives at enterprises such as BelAZ, MTZ, Atlant, Gomselmash, KZTSH and Belcard. Hundreds of officials are prosecuted for corruption every year.
This year alone, 607 people have been held accountable, including four who held positions of responsibility. The general directors of Kommunarka, the Belarusian Cement Plant and the Grodno Meat Processing Plant, along with several other senior officials, have been convicted of bribery. According to statistics, one in every five corruption offences in the country is committed by the head of a state body or state-owned organisation, who is personally required under Article 43 of the Law on Combating Corruption to take anti-corruption measures within their organisation,” Fedarovichau said.
This year, 236 criminal cases related to procurement have been opened, including cases involving unjustified intermediary arrangements.
The Prosecutor General’s Office also monitors procurement. Following inspections, more than 1,600 supervisory measures were issued. More than 2,700 people faced disciplinary action, and 14 managers were dismissed from their positions.
“Before court proceedings, the chairperson of an agricultural production cooperative in Minsk Region transferred 22,500 roubles to the state budget. The money had been received as payment for a tourist trip from a representative of a business entity with which the cooperative had commercial relations. In another case, following a claim by the Prosecutor General’s Office, 40,000 roubles were recovered for the state budget from a former director of an oil refinery. The money had been received as payment for corporate events and banquets. In response to violations of procurement legislation, more than 800 procurement procedures were cancelled at prosecutors’ request,” the Prosecutor General’s Office representative added.
This year, 70 legal entities have also been held liable for bribery under the Code of Administrative Offences.