( CNN ) -- A vintage car collection , exotic birds and a gaudy palace ; former Ukraine President Viktor Yanukovych was seemingly living the high life even as his country 's economy stalled . Now , as economic growth goes into reverse , Ukraine is in desperate need of financial help . The question is whether the country 's lawmakers will do what they must to persuade the world that there wo n't be a repeat of Yanukovych 's gaudy lifestyle . Last month , anti-corruption protesters in Ukraine surrounded the Kiev parliament building waving gold-painted loaves of bread . The demonstration was aimed at persuading lawmakers to pass strong anti-corruption legislation that would prohibit political leaders like Yanukovych from living gilded lifestyles funded by state coffers . Sadly , lawmakers balked , and the legislation failed by eight votes as too many members of parliament abstained . The vote was a significant setback to President Petro Poroshenko , who had promised to clean up corruption in his presidential campaign . But more importantly , the vote was a blow against efforts to revive Ukraine 's economy as the legislation is a prerequisite to securing the next vital tranche of the $ 17 billion multilateral loan package from the World Bank , the International Monetary Fund and the European Union . The cash is urgently needed if Ukraine is to shore up both its economy and its borders . True , a ceasefire has brought with it a lull in the fighting between government forces and pro-Russian rebels . But clashes have continued even as Russia continues to turn the screws with its own set of sanctions . The problem for Ukraine is that Yanukovych 's lifestyle -- allegedly funded through sweetheart deals and shady companies -- has left the international community wary of handing money over to the government without some guarantee that the rule of law will apply to those handling the funds . After all , Ukraine ranked 144th out of 177 countries in the 2013 Transparency International Corruption Perceptions index , with a score that indicated rampant corruption . The failure of last month 's vote leaves Poroshenko with two more chances before a parliamentary election later this month to push through the required legislation -- on October 7 and October 14 . The laws being tabled are a strong set of regulations that organizations including Transparency International Ukraine have helped draft ( and indeed have been advocating for years ) , including the creation of a dedicated National Anti-Corruption Bureau with investigatory powers to centralize what is now dealt with by an ad hoc group of offices that fail to share information and work together . In addition , the proposals include a time-bound , three-year National Anti-corruption Strategic Plan that sets goals for implementing laws , as well as a law that would make it possible to try those suspected of corruption even if they are not in Ukraine . ( The absence of such legislation is thwarting the prosecution and the return of assets allegedly stolen by Yanukovych , who has fled to Russia . ) So what is stopping lawmakers getting behind these common sense rules ? One sticking point likely scaring politicians is that from the new parliament onward there would be mandatory public registries of lawmakers ' assets , so-called asset declarations , and a public list of any potential conflicts of interests . Asset declarations , particularly if they are monitored by civil society , can help raise a red flag if politicians are living beyond their means : a tried and tested tool in the fight against corruption that is particularly effective if you can compare year-on-year wealth accumulation . It 's perhaps no wonder , then , that a parliament filled with politicians who profited from Yanukovych 's term in office would not be happy with these new laws , and although Poroshenko thought he had amassed the votes to get them passed in September , enough abstained to scupper his plans . But there is still some cause for optimism . With parliamentary elections just three weeks away , many of those former members of Yanukovych 's party ( the Party of Regions ) who have not fled have allied themselves with other parties to keep their seats , and can be expected to try to distance themselves from the corruption that toppled the government . Poroshenko must therefore clearly tie the future economic success of a pro-Western Ukraine to the electoral fortunes of the candidates . If they vote against the legislation this week , international support may wane , the development loans could be delayed and economic recovery stall . Poroshenko must clearly explain this likely chain of events to the public so politicians are convinced that if they are seen as opposing the fight against corruption , they will not attract voters -- voters who have taken to the streets to voice their displeasure over the issue . The map of Ukrainian politics is about to be redrawn . The question is whether lawmakers will seize this opportunity to pass a strong set of anti-corruption laws that will show parliament is committed to ruling the country for the people , not for themselves . The country 's future depends on it .
Ukraine 's economy in desperate need of help , says Oleksii Khmara . Country ranked 144th out of 177 countries in corruption index last year . Lawmakers must back anti-corruption legislation to build confidence , Khmara says .