KYIV. Jan 6 (Interfax-Ukraine) – MP from Petro Poroshenko Bloc Andriy Antonyschak will register a bill on national customs service, aiming at radically changing the service, next plenary session week of the parliament, the press service of the Petro Poroshenko Bloc has reported.
“Today the customs service actually does not exist. Its role is fiscal function: to protect economic interests of the state and replenish the national budget,” Antonyschak said.
He also said that the document aims at creating the National Customs Service that will protect the customs interests, customs security, domestic market, development of the Ukrainian economy, its integration into the global economy and prevent customs irregularities.
He said that MPs held several meetings with European experts and everyone came to the conclusion that the customs service should become a separate institution.
“The main goal of the customs service is not replenishment of the budget. The main task of the customs service is the smooth and transparent movement of goods and protection of the borders from smuggling. We propose in this bill that an independent customs service is created and subordinated to the Finance Ministry,” he said.
The bill envisages the creation of separate services – customs, tax, financial investigation and auxiliary services (analytics and customs value of goods).
The document toughens criminal punishment for bribing.
“For example, if a customs officer takes a bribe of $10, he will be automatically deprived of the job record, an apartment, social benefits and other things,” Antonyschak said.
He added that the next step for conducting the radical reform of the customs service should be direct negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the European Union (EU).
