Poroshenko calls for amending laws to make state military purchases more transparent

 Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has called for changes in legislation to eliminate excessive secrecy of information regarding state defense purchases (referred to as the state defense order).

"We must initiate changes to legislative acts to avoid excessive secrecy of information regarding the state defense order," he said, opening a meeting of Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) in Kyiv on Wednesday.

Poroshenko said he had already discussed this issue with Defense Minister Stepan Poltorak.

"Purchases of old, mainly Soviet, weapons, spare parts, ammunition, can also be made openly in most cases," he said.

The president said it is necessary to ensure the widespread use of competitive procedures in the procurement of weapons, noting that the Defense Ministry has received the right to independently carry out procurement.

At the same time, Poroshenko said information about the latest military hardware, in particular, rocket technology, modern technologies and proprietary know-how, would continue to be protected by the state "from prying eyes and prying ears."

"All of the above requirements fully concern the state-run concern Ukroboronprom," Poroshenko said.