In a bid to foster transparency and combat corruption, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has publicly disclosed his income for the first time.
This move comes as Ukraine embarks on its journey towards European Union membership, a process that commenced last week and requires the nation to address its longstanding issue of corruption.
The presidential website revealed on Sunday that the Zelenskyy family's income witnessed a nearly threefold decrease between 2021 and 2022. The family earned 10.8 million Ukrainian hryvnias ($286,168) in 2021, a year prior to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. This figure represented a decline of nearly 12 million hryvnias from the preceding year. The 2021 income included approximately $142,000 derived from the sale of government bonds.
"Volodymyr Zelenskyy continues to own a number of trademarks. In particular, in 2021, the process of registering 22 trademarks, which began long before his election as President of Ukraine, was completed," the declaration stated, marking the president's inaugural public income disclosure.
The income of the Zelenskyy family plummeted to 3.7 million hryvnias in 2022, attributed to the "temporary termination of lease agreements on the territory of Ukraine as a result of the beginning of Russia's full-scale aggression." The declaration also noted a decrease of nearly 1.8 million hryvnias in the family's cash balance by the end of 2022, while their asset, real estate, and vehicle ownership remained unchanged over the two-year period.
President Zelenskyy has called on all public officials to reveal their incomes, as part of a broader initiative to enhance transparency. In line with this, Ukraine's National Agency on Corruption Prevention reopened a register on declared income for public scrutiny last month.
International allies, including the U.S., who are providing financial aid and weaponry, along with institutions like the International Monetary Fund, have sought assurances about Kyiv's commitment to eliminating corruption in public office.
On Saturday, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) announced the discovery of a $40 million arms procurement corruption scheme following a two-year investigation. Five employees from the Ukrainian arms firm Lviv Arsenal are alleged to have colluded with Ministry of Defense officials to misappropriate funds intended for the purchase of 100,000 mortar shells. The SBU has charged five individuals who could face up to 12 years in prison if convicted.
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