Today's issue:

- how Poroshenko uses the Committee to block the anticorruption court in the Rada;
- candidates who applied for the position of NABU auditor;
- NABU news;
- memo on the SBU reform;
- form to grant us a consent to keep mailing to you;
- recommended reading
 

How Poroshenko Uses the Committee to Block the Anticorruption Court in the Rada

Desperately trying to delay creation of the anticorruption court while saving face before the international partners, Poroshenko has been abusing the tactics “me not guilty”.

The President keeps promising one new date after another to adopt the law on the anti-corruption court and then puts the onus on the MPs. However, in the Rada Committee which stalled consideration of the draft law, 14 out of 32 MPs are representing President's faction. Moreover, the Committee Head Ruslan Kniazevych is a trusted person of the President, Poroshenko's block's representative at the Central Election Commission at the 2014 election and the President’s Representative at the Verkhovna Rada (June 2014 – January 2015).

So what indeed is happening in the Parliament over the last few months? More details

In the meantime, establishment of the anticorruption court is the most supported reform among Ukrainians. 

Candidates Who Applied to Become
NABU Auditor

5 candidates applied for the newly opened position of the National Anticorruption Bureau of Ukraine auditor. Among those applicants there are 2 retirees, Human rights advocate, Israeli lawyer and former Assistant U.S. Attorney. More details and infographics. 

The procedure for electing the auditor, which was developed and approved by the Rada anticorruption committee, envisages public discussions of the candidacies and holding the interviews with them.

NABU News

  • On May 10 NABU detectives detained a former head of a state-owned enterprise who has been hiding from the investigation for the last 6 months. The suspect was accused in the abuse of office in November 2017, and on December 1 was declared wanted. According to the investigation, in autumn 2016 in violation of law, this person concluded with a specific insurance company a 8,8 mln UAH insurance agreement. It was never implemented and the company failed to claim insurance payments, though there were some 50 insurance cases over the period.
  • Ministry of Defence top official Hulevych, accused by NABU in embezzlement of 149 mln UAH on fuel procurements in autumn 2017, was reinstated in job by the court. The investigative judge failed to prolong his suspension from office due to "lack of evidences how the accused may influence on the interrogated witnesses or destroy or forge the documents."

Reform of the Security Service of Ukraine: Memo

Currently, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has a number of functions that overlap with the ones of other institutions, including fight against corruption and economic crimes.

Optimization of the SBU was envisaged in the 2014 Parliamentary Coalition Agreement. In early 2016 a permanent international advisory group on the SBU reform was established with the participation of the representatives of the EU Advisory Mission for Civilian Security Sector Reform Ukraine, the NATO Communication Office in Ukraine, the NATO Centre for information and documentation in Ukraine, and other international organizations. The Concept of the SBU reform, based on NATO standards, was developed and finished in July 2016, and submitted to state institutions for approval. 

However, as of early May 2018 the Concept has not been adopted by the President and by the National Security and Defence Council, and subsequently the subject draft law was not developed on its basis. The reform of the SBU stalled. Detailed memo.

Please, see also KyivPost's recent article on the topic

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RECOMMENDED READING

The Ukraine War in the Time of Trump - Benjamin Haddad, The Daily Beast
 

Copyright © *2018* 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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