Georgieva is “optimistic” about the chances of the Ukrainians stopping this scourge because “people are not going to tolerate it”, as he stated one day after his first visit to kyiv since the beginning of the Russian invasion of the country almost a year ago.
During this trip, he met several Ukrainian leaders, such as President Volodymyr Zelenskyas well as businessmen and women economists.
He also traveled to irpina city near the Ukrainian capital hard hit by Russian bombing at the beginning of the invasion.
“A war is fertile ground for corruption (…) But in the case of Ukraine, I have not heard any attempt to sweeten the problem or a lack of interest in working with us,” he said, stressing the need to “further improve” anti-corruption structures.
Ukraine, which is highly dependent on Western aid, has been rocked in recent weeks by a scandal of alleged corruption in relation to military supplies that cost several politicians their jobs.
Several high-ranking Ukrainian officials announced their resignation or were dismissed following press disclosures about alleged purchases of provisions for the Army at inflated pricesin the middle of the war with Russia.
On the other hand, Georgieva praised the “incredible resilience” of Ukrainians and said the IMF expects a “gradual recovery of the Ukrainian economy” in 2023 after a 30% collapse last year.
He applauded the “economic management” of the central and local authorities who “work tirelessly to meet the expectations of the Ukrainian people.”
“They pay pensions, provide social services, repairs, when energy, heating or water are affected, they are done quickly. The mentality of the country is that ‘we will emerge stronger from the tragedy of war,'” estimated the director of the financial institution.
On Monday the Ukrainian Prime Minister, Denis Shmigal, I affirm that Ukraine hopes to get a new aid program from the IMFof over $15 billion“. Georgieva has not commented on the matter, limiting herself to saying that the two parties are working “very hard to reach an agreement.”
Source: Ambito
