Press Release, 08.08.2018

Photo: Alexei Karnaukhov, deputy head of the Yabloko’s Anti-Corruption Policy Centre

The Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation granted the Yabloko party the status of an independent expert organisation for conducting anti-corruption expertise of normative legal acts and different projects. Yabloko has become the first party to receive such a status.

Since 2009, the institute of anti-corruption expertise of legislation has been operating in Russia. Examinations are carried out by the Public Prosecutor’s Office and the Ministry of Justice on the basis of the Federal Law N 172-FZ “On anti-corruption examination of normative legal acts and draft normative legal acts” of 17.07.2009.

Civil society institutions and citizens can be accredited as independent experts. Such accreditation allows to check the legislation on corruption-related factors and demand their elimination.

“Expertise is non-binding and recommendatory, however, it must be taken into account by public authorities. Legislation on independent expertise is imperfect, but it is still important for civil society to use the available anti-corruption mechanisms,” Alexei Karnaukhov, deputy head of the Yabloko’s Anti-Corruption Policy Centre, says.

The Yabloko Anti-Corruption Policy Centre is already working on anti-corruption expertise. In 2017, the Centre’s lawyers prepared 12 analytical materials and proposals on elimination of corruption-related factors from the legislation. The accreditation will allow Yabloko to seek motivated answers to the results of expertise and work for strengthening of the institute of independent anti-corruption expertise.