Alleged abuses by officials of the Asset Recovery and Management Agency have become the subject of an investigation by the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office. Criminal proceedings and a series of scandals are already damaging the institution's international image. The Verkhovna Rada emphasizes: without an independent audit and personnel decisions, scandals around ARMA will only increase, writes UNN.
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Recently, the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office announced the initiation of criminal proceedings regarding the possible abuse of official position by ARMA officials. The actions of officials will be checked due to alleged illegal actions during the transfer of the Trade Union House to management, which were voiced in a journalistic investigation. So far, no one has been charged, but public interest in this case is extremely high.
ARMA is not for the first time at the epicenter of high-profile stories related to the transfer of assets to management. For example, the head of the Verkhovna Rada's anti-corruption committee, Anastasia Radina, stated that the Russian share of corporate rights of the company "Venta.LTD" is being transferred to the management of persons probably connected with the owner. In addition, for several days, a scandal was discussed due to a probable conflict of interest of the deputy head of ARMA, Grigol Katamadze, in the story of the sale of "UkrBud". And each such case undermines trust not only within the country, but also among partners who expect real changes from Ukraine.
The parliament understands that the situation requires a systemic response. The Verkhovna Rada has already unblocked the signing of the law on ARMA reform, which provides for an independent audit of the agency and a new transparent procedure for selecting its head. However, the very fact of open criminal proceedings shows that there is no more time to delay.
Unfortunately, there is every reason to expect that corruption scandals related to ARMA will only increase. That is why it is very good that the Verkhovna Rada has unblocked the signing of the bill, which should launch systemic changes, including an audit.
In his opinion, any internal investigations in ARMA with the existing leadership will be just a fiction.
Therefore, it is very important to initiate an audit as soon as possible, which, in my opinion, will definitely lead to a change in ARMA's leadership.
While the agency's leadership is trying to justify itself, trust in ARMA is rapidly fading. With each new resonance, the question arises: is the agency really ready to work transparently, or is its head, Olena Duma, trying to maintain control at any cost?
The SAP investigation can become a real tool for cleaning up the agency. And if the facts of abuse are confirmed during the investigation, it should result in personnel decisions, including the resignation of Olena Duma. Society and international partners expect clear steps.