Looking at the essence of corruption in Ukraine
Andrey Ermolaev, Director of the New Ukrainian Institute for Strategic Studies, claims that corruption in present-day Ukraine is different from that encountered during the Soviet era. These days corruption in Ukraine is part of the political and social environment, an integral element in the functioning of the law. For example, over the past two years the monopoly over natural gas production has become a tool to ensure privilege and exclude competitors. Simply put, the system has become a tool for corruption.
The root cause of systemic and structural corruption in Ukraine is the lack of mechanisms like separation of powers and checks and balances. When there are no real checks and balances, corruption will always exist. The way out is through constitutional reform, imposing direct election of the heads of the legislative, executive, judicial and procuratorial branches. Elected officials should serve a single term of 5 years and barred from running again for 6 years afterward. 1/4 of all MPs should face election each year, and elections should be free of charge, all changes designed to let light shines into the black boxes of government. See the Charter for Permanent Peace and Development.