EU sets new condition for Ukraine's accession

McGrath emphasized that EU member-state governments will not support Ukraine's bid to join the bloc unless it can prove it has an effective system to combat crime "at the top of society."

The European Commissioner noted that, although the reform process in Ukraine is "a journey," Kyiv is making maximum efforts to fight corruption.

"There has to be, in every candidate country, a robust system for dealing with alleged high-level corruption cases. You need to have a robust system for investigation and ultimately prosecutions and convictions, and demonstrating a track record of effectiveness in that area is something that we require of all of our own member states, and certainly of those that wish to join the European Union," McGrath added.

He said that "the same standard applies to all candidate countries," adding that "the rule of law and justice reforms are at the heart of the accession process."

"We have a very open and honest relationship with Ukrainian authorities about what those requirements are," the European Justice Commissioner said.

He also stressed that if the rule-of-law standards are not met, there will be no support from EU member states regarding membership.

The Mindich case

The National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) recently uncovered a corruption scheme in which contractors of Energoatom were forced to pay bribes to maintain supplier status.

The investigation revealed that officials and businessman Tymur Mindich were involved in the scheme.

NABU also released recordings of conversations among members of the criminal organization. Justice Minister Herman Halushchenko appeared on the tapes.

At the same time, NABU detectives claim that the office where the perpetrators laundered money was visited by former Deputy Prime Minister for National Unity Oleksii Chernyshov.