BURNING ANTI-CORRUPTION NEWS / Issue #24
October 14, 2017

Today's issue of anticorruption news covers:

• European Union ready to assist Ukraine with selections of anticorruption judges
• Suspected in corruption deputy Minister of Defence put under house arrest
• NABU having returned radiological equipment to Pediatric Clinic 
• Mysterious disappearance of 80,000 USD, material evidence in the case of bribery by Mykolayiv region deputy governor 
• New wave of attacks on activists
• Lawsuit of scandalous local official Karplyuk against AntAC being rejected

The EU Insists On Anticorruption Court, Ready to Assist With the Selections of Judges

According to the EU, a high specialized anticorruption court should be created as an institution that is independent and separate from the existing structure of the judiciary. 

The EU says that the independence, integrity and professionalism of all judges who will be appointed to the anticorruption court will be crucial for restoring public confidence in the authorities, and the EU is ready to promote transparency in the selection of judges. Full text. 

#PreliminaryVictory On October 11, 2017 NABU and SAPO conducted a series of searches, in the course of which two persons were arrested: Deputy Minister of Defence Igor Pavlovskyi (photo on the left) and Director of the Department for Procurement and Supply of Material Resources of the Ministry Volodymyr Hulyevych (photo on the right). They are suspected in participating in embezzlement of 149 million UAH of state funds. 

While commenting on this case, the President of Ukraine promised “to cut off the hands” of those who rob the army. In the meantime, Deputy Secretary of the National Security and Defence Council of Ukraine Oleh Hladkovskyi, who is a longtime business partner of Poroshenko, was ready to issue personal guarantees for Pavlovskyi. And this is not the first case when President's men are try to protect suspects in defence corruption. Is the President sincere in his statements? More details on this case. 

NABU and SAPO Returned Medical Radiological Equipment to Pediatric Clinic “OKHMATDYT”

#Victory

NABU and SAPO returned unique radiological equipment to the National Specialised Pediatric Clinic “OKHMATDYT.” It will be used for diagnostics and medical treatment of childhood cancer. Although the equipment is a material evidence in a criminal case, the investigators allowed using it before the investigation is over. The Healthcare Ministry is currently seeking for licensees to install it. More details. 

80,000 USD Go Missing

Anything may happen.
Even 80,000 USD, which are material evidence in the case of bribery by deputy governor of Mykolayiv region, can disappear.

In 2016 Mykola Romanchuk, under whose house there were found networks of tunnels with treasures worth of around 20 million USD, was accused in bribery - 80,000 USD were found in the car of his assistant. And although military prosecutor's office, leaded by Anatoliy Matios, was supposed to ensure preservation of material evidences, this money was somehow substituted with counterfeit notes.

Romanchuk's attorneys now insist on closing the case due to the absence of evidences.

Ukrainian law enforcement officers from the Security Service of Ukraine, the National Police and the Prosecutor General's Office are persecuting activists of patients' organizations 'Patients of Ukraine' and 'All-Ukrainian Network of People Living With HIV/AIDS'. 

On October 11, investigators of the National Police of Ukraine with approval of the PGO came with the ruling of the Pechersk District Court to seize the documents from the office of the “Patients of Ukraine”. According to this ruling the documents are suppressed from the “Patients of Ukraine” and “All-Ukrainian Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS” for emergency tax inspection and audit as well as for forensic economic and graphologic examination.

“We regard these steps of the law enforcement authorities exclusively as pressure on the patients’ anticorruption organizations”, states Olga Stefanyshyna, the CEO of the “Patients of Ukraine”. “Our organizations are regularly audited and all our financial documents are in open access on the websites. We are supported by the largest international organizations, so legal action against us is an undeniable attempt to intimidate and paralyse the work of our organizations”. More details. 

In addition, according to the Network of PLWH, during one day, on September 21, 2017, the courts made eight decisions against them. In the request of the Security Service, the following is literally mentioned: “… acting... with the assistance of the FSB staff, developed and implemented a scheme to move the grant resources of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria to occupied territory of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea for their use with the purpose of financing terrorist organizations of Donetsk People’s Republic and Luhansk People’s Republic, other anti-state pro-Russian and separatist movements, and Internet resources.” More details. 

Article of the Atlantic Council. 
Statement of the Transparency International - Ukraine. 
Statement of the International Renaissance Foundation. 

Lawsuit of Scandalous Local Official Karplyuk Against AntAC Rejected

In August 2016 Volodymyr Karplyuk, the mayor of Irpin, a town near Kyiv, filed the lawsuit against the AntAC and our Board Member Oleksandra Ustinova. He demanded refutation of the critical information regarding his activities, which was announced during the program on ICTV channel. 

AntAC has initiated the ongoing criminal investigation by the PGO into illegal alienation of land plots in Irpin. 

Karplyuk is also famous by declaring 67 apartments in 2015. 

With its ruling of October 2, 2017 Pecherskyi court rejected Karplyuk's lawsuit as it didn't find any inaccurate information in the words of Ustinova. 

#Victory

Copyright © *2017* Anti-corruption Action Centre*, All rights reserved.

Should you have any questions or comments please contact Olena Halushka at: ohalushka@antac.org.ua

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