IMPLEMENTING FOREIGN EXPERIENCE RELATED TO GOVERNING LEGAL STATUS AND ACTIVITIES OF CORRUPTION PREVENTION OFFICERS

Abstract

Abstract. Internal (departmental) corruption prevention officers are a well-established decentralized institutional element of the national anti-corruption mechanism of many states, and they are also given considerable attention in the recommendations of international organizations. In light of this, relying predominantly on the comparative legal method of scientific research, the author examines such recommendations on the relevant range of issues approved by the International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions, the legal basis of the activities of corruption prevention officers in Italy and other countries, as well as official clarification materials, in particular, of the Anti-Corruption Agency of France related to internal anti-corruption investigations. The author recommends amending the legislation of Ukraine determining the organization and procedure of activities of corruption prevention officers with provisions in particular, regarding: (1) authorizing corruption prevention officers to receive any documents and information from employees of their organization, necessary for the performance of their official duties; (2) strengthening the transparency of the personnel, procedures and outcomes of activities of corruption prevention officers by making public that part of them which could contribute to increasing the effectiveness of public control over them; (3) introduction of measures to improve the professional qualities and abilities of corruption prevention officers, exchange of experience between them and other special training measures; (4) enshrining at the legislative level the qualification requirements for candidates for the positions of corruption prevention officers, and making it impossible to combine this activity with other control activities within the organization (internal security, etc.); (5) formalizing and governing the procedure of internal anti-corruption investigations, in particular, by determining their goals, participants and order of activities, including the collection, research and evaluation of evidence in order to guarantee their admissibility for use in further proceedings, establishing ways of safeguarding the confidentiality of whistleblowers and the rights of other participants in these investigations.