Despite the official rhetoric about "reforming" the Asset Recovery and Management Agency from within, the actions of the head of the agency, Olena Duma, increasingly indicate that she is actually just trying to stop any systemic changes that could deprive her of her position, writes UNN.
Details
The leadership of ARMA throughout its term emphasized the need to enshrine changes in the management system of seized assets at the legislative level. However, when the reform took on real outlines, in particular when the Verkhovna Rada supported draft law №12374-d in the first reading, the tone of the agency's communication changed dramatically. This is, in particular, confirmed by a content analysis conducted by Transparency International Ukraine.
Anti-corruption experts noted that ARMA avoids constructive dialogue on reform and has actually launched an information campaign to discredit it. In addition, they recorded systemic manipulations in the agency's official communications, and the only constant message remains - "ARMA is already being reformed".
According to the former head of the public council at ARMA, Ihor Chobitko, such behavior indicates that the head of the agency, Olena Duma, makes decisions solely from her own interests and prioritizes them over public ones.
According to the expert, a separate threat to the head of ARMA is the provision on an independent audit of the agency's activities, provided for by the reform. After all, such an audit can remove the facade from the statements about "breakthroughs" and "titanic work", which are impossible to verify today due to the agency's closedness.
Meanwhile, the agency's communication includes loud phrases about "threat to the anti-corruption infrastructure" and "political bias" of the draft law, the fact remains obvious - there are problems in the management of seized assets, and the current system is ineffective.
Let us remind you
Recently, Olena Duma again criticized draft law №12374-d on the reform of ARMA, which has already been supported by the parliament in the first reading. She stated that the document "contains politically motivated norms" and "may harm the entire anti-corruption infrastructure". At the same time, she herself called her work in ARMA a "real breakthrough". At the same time, the head of the Verkhovna Rada's anti-corruption committee, Anastasia Radina, believes that Olena Duma and her colleagues are "deliberately spreading false information" about the draft law on ARMA reform in order to preserve the existing ineffective system.
Transparency International Ukraine actually supported Anastasia Radina's position and stated that the resistance of ARMA head Olena Duma is nothing more than a reluctance to get rid of levers of influence.