The actual abolition of banking secrecy, which is envisaged by the National Revenue Strategy for 2024-30, is not a requirement of the European Union, as stated by the authorities. Dmytro Oleksiyenko, a member of the Board of ICC Ukraine, a member of the Board of the Association of Taxpayers of Ukraine, and Anatoliy Amelin, a co-founder of the Ukrainian Institute for the Future, spoke about this on the YouTube channel ALPHA MEDIA, UNN reports.
Anatoliy Amelin reminded that there are many countries in the EU and in Europe in general that protect banking secrecy.
"And we need to talk about it. There are dozens of European countries that critically protect banking secrecy, and you know Switzerland, at least one of them. Austria, Belgium, Andorra - I can go on and name a dozen countries that protect banking secrecy. There are also countries that disclose banking secrecy, but the process of disclosure is related to criminal cases, suspicion of tax evasion. That is, there is a specific case. Not everyone is a suspect, but, for example, a certain person, and there is a reasonable belief that he is whitewashing the proceeds of crime. And as part of the criminal prosecution, they receive a request for his personal bank accounts, and then work with them," Amelin explained.
The experts emphasized that the entire procedure for accessing information on accounts, i.e. disclosure of information containing banking secrecy, is subject to a court decision. At the same time, in Ukraine, in recent years, the processes of access to banking secrecy by a number of authorities have been significantly simplified and do not require a court decision. This in itself, according to experts, is a violation of European standards and practices.
Recall
The National Revenue Strategy for 2024-2030 was approved at a government meeting on December 27, 2023. Experts have harshly criticized the strategy, in particular, for the desire to abolish banking secrecy for tax authorities. According to experts, the idea of the final destruction of banking secrecy in Ukraine is the idea of MP Danylo Hetmantsev, head of the Verkhovna Rada's Finance Committee.
"And not just bank secrecy, but in fact, to get into our wallet, to take everything out as much as possible, without asking us much about our desire. Just make a note of it," Anatoly Amelin said.