Victor Yushchenko presided over a meeting of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine. Its Secretary, Anatoly Kinakh, presented conceptual fundamentals to reform Ukraine’s law enforcement agencies, which had been formulated by international experts representing the National Commission for the Promotion of Democracy and Rule of Law and American Bar Association. One of the most important reforms is to establish a national service of investigation. Mr. Kinakh said the approval of the concept “will allow us to confidently start to reform the law enforcement system and create favorable conditions for developing Ukraine as a legal and democratic state.”
The President said the law enforcement system should be profoundly reformed and pointed out that Ukrainians still distrusted militia officers. Yushchenko opined that the system remained too politicized and lacked transparency.He said most of the letters he received from the citizens of Ukraine concerned the inability of these agencies to preserve law and order.
“You must explain the logic of government to the people,” he said and added that reforms in law enforcement agencies were tremendously important for Ukraine’s national security.
The Chief of State urged them to formulate a specific plan to introduce efficient reforms. He also remarked that the reform would help more rationally use budget funds. The President then stressed that it would be successful if law enforcement agencies were aware of the necessity to rebuild the sector.
Yushchenko asked them to improve the presented concept within fifteen days and said he wanted to see a detailed description of measures in each department.
“I want to see an action plan for each law enforcement department,” he said, President's press office reported.
Then they discussed ways to preserve stability on the domestic oil market and focused their attention on finding mechanisms to promote investment and prevent oil monopolies.
