Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has disclosed his income for the first time since Russia's invasion started as he promotes transparency and roots out corruption amid the country's pursuit of European Union (EU) membership.
According to CNBC, Ukraine formally began the screening process to start EU membership last week and faces stringent conditions to address its historic corruption problem.
Family Income of Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy Revealed
Volodymyr Zelenskyy's family income saw a significant decline, falling nearly threefold between 2021 and 2022, according to the declaration on the presidential website published on Sunday.
In 2021, or the year before Russia invaded Ukraine, the family received 10.8 million Ukrainian hryvnias ($286,168), reflecting a decrease of nearly 12 million hryvnias compared to the previous year.
The 2021 income included approximately $142,000 in income from the sale of government bonds. According to the Ukrainian president's first-ever public declaration of income, Zelenskyy continues to own several trademarks.
"In particular, in 2021, the process of registering 22 trademarks, which began long before his election as President of Ukraine, was completed," it added.
2022 Family Income of Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy Also Fell
In 2022, Volodymyr Zelenskyy's family income also fell. The declaration said it dropped to 3.7 million hryvnias due to the "temporary termination of lease agreements on the territory of Ukraine as a result of the beginning of Russia's full-scale aggression."
At the end of 2022, the family's cash balance fell by nearly 1.8 million hryvnias, while asset, real estate, and vehicle ownership were unchanged over the two years, CNBC reported.
Zelenskyy asked all public officials to disclose their incomes as part of his effort to promote transparency. Last month, Ukraine's National Agency on Corruption Prevention opened again a register on declared income to public scrutiny.
International economic institutions like the International Monetary Fund are seeking assurances from Ukraine to eliminate graft in public office. The US and other allies supplying financial aid and weaponry made a similar appeal.
On Saturday, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) announced that it had uncovered a $40 million arms procurement corruption scheme following a two-year investigation.
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