Government-by-Government Assessments: Ukraine
During the review period, the government made its budget and information on debt obligations widely and easily accessible to the public, including online. Budget documents provided a substantially complete picture of the government’s planned expenditures and revenue streams. However, the government maintained off-budget accounts that are not independently audited. While the supreme audit institution lacked independence that met international standards, it reviewed the government’s accounts and made its report publicly available within a reasonable period. The government specified in law or regulation but did not always appear to follow in practice the criteria and procedures for awarding natural resource extraction contracts or licenses. Basic information on natural resource extraction awards was publicly available.
Ukraine’s fiscal transparency would be improved by:
- Ensuring the supreme audit institution meets international standards of independence;
- Subjecting off-budget accounts to public oversight; and
- Following applicable natural resource extraction laws and regulations in practice.