Cabinet approves MSEC anti-corruption plan

The Cabinet of Ministers has approved a plan to combat corruption and other offenses in medical and social expert commissions (MSECs).

Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal announced this on his Telegram channel, the Ukrainian News agency reports.

"In accordance with the decisions of the National Security Council and the President, the Government has approved a plan to combat corruption and other offenses among the MSECs," he said.

In particular:

- medical and social expert commissions as they exist will be liquidated already this year;

- a group is being created to review the decisions made by MSECs, inspections will continue for the next three months;

- in November, the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Digital Transformation will present a decision regarding the digitization of all stages of MSECs;

- The Pension Fund together with the State Bureau of Investigation, the National Police and the Security Service of Ukraine should conduct a quick audit of all disability pension payments to prosecutors and other officials of state bodies;

- the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Social Policy should immediately submit to the government bills on the comprehensive reform of MSECs.

Shmyhal emphasized that the plan clearly states the terms and those responsible for its implementation.

"This issue should be among the priorities for all ministries and ministers personally. According to the results of the implementation of the decisions of the President and the National Security Council, there will be appropriate conclusions," he said.

As the Ukrainian News agency earlier reported, on October 22, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a meeting of the National Security and Defense Council regarding the situation with MSECs and abuses of disability by officials, after which the head of state stated that Prosecutor General Andrii Kostin should bear political responsibility for the situation in in Ukraine's prosecution system.

Kostin announced after the NSDC meeting that he was resigning.

Zelenskyy instructed the Cabinet of Ministers to develop and submit to the Verkhovna Rada for consideration a bill with the aim of urgently reforming the system of medical and social examination in Ukraine, providing, in particular, the liquidation of MSECs from December 31, 2024.