MONEYVAL experts discuss upcoming Ukraine report
EUACI and OSCE brought MONEYVAL experts to Lviv to discuss newly adopted report on Ukraine. The report in question is of the results of the 5th round of mutual evaluation of Ukraine. It was adopted within the framework of the 55th Plenary Meeting of the Committee of Experts on the Evaluation of Anti-Money Laundering Measures and Financing of Terrorism (MONEYVAL), which was held on December 4 – 7, 2017 in Strasbourg. Representatives from the following Ukrainian government agencies participated in the discussion: Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, General Prosecutor’s Office, State Financial Monitoring Service, State Fiscal Service, Ministry of Justice, National Securities and Stock Market Commission, MFA, National Bank of Ukraine, SAPO, NACP, NABU, SBU, police and other.
During the opening remarks, Eka Tkeshelashvili, head of EUACI welcomed the opportunity for both – MONEYVAL experts and Ukrainian government officials to discuss the upcoming report in greater detail. Since, once the report will have been published, it will be up to these government agencies to implement recommendations contained in it. During his speech, Michael Stellini, Head of AML/CFT Monitoring and Training Unit of MONEYVAL noted that for Ukraine the anti-money laundering system has its own twist. ‘Corruption is a threat and a vulnerability to the anti-money laundering system – both in terms of monitoring and prevention, as well as prosecution of money-laundering crimes’ – said Stellini.
MONEYVAL was established in 1997 and is the Council of Europe committee of experts on the evaluation of anti-money maundering measures and the financing of terrorism. Ukraine has been evaluated since 1999 under 1st, 2nd and 3rd rounds. Ukraine’s 4th evaluation was scheduled for 2014, but was cancelled because of the combat activities in Eastern Ukraine. The official publication of the 5th round evaluation report of Ukraine is expected early 2018.
