Ukraine may not receive 4 billion euros from the European Union under the Ukraine Facility program due to non-compliance with the conditions related to the adoption of a draft law on plea bargaining, which allows for a shorter prison term than required by the Criminal Code in case of cooperation with the investigation through the exposure of accomplices and compensation for damage. This was reported by MP Yaroslav Zheleznyak with reference to a letter from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, UNN reports.
Details
If the draft law on plea bargaining No. 12039 is not passed by the end of October, we will not receive money from the EU this year. And this is 4 billion euros that will be transferred to the next year
The Foreign Ministry's letter states that the Ukrainian side has violated the deadlines for fulfilling the conditions stipulated in Ukraine's plan under the Ukraine Facility, which relate to the adoption of a draft law on an agreement with the investigation of corruption cases. Ukraine risks not receiving €4 billion in funding expected from the EU in November.
The ministry emphasized that this condition had to be met by the end of the third quarter, but the bill was only passed on October 9.
In addition, the letter states that failure to adopt the draft law puts the allocation of EUR 35 billion in the form of a loan from the EU Council at risk, as some countries in the bloc may use the argument that Kyiv has not fulfilled its obligations.
Recall
On October 9, the Verkhovna Rada adopted in the first reading a new draft law on plea bargaining, which allows for a shorter prison term than required by the Criminal Code in case of cooperation with the investigation through exposing accomplices and compensation for damage.