The head of the Asset Recovery and Management Agency, Olena Duma, tried to justify delays in selecting managers for seized assets and asked anti-corruption experts from Transparency International Ukraine not to criticize her work and ARMA, UNN reports.
Details
Olena Duma complained in her tg channel about criticism from TI Ukraine experts that ARMA takes a long time to select asset managers. However, instead of explaining the delays, she pointed out that the experts allegedly lacked an understanding of the situation and suggested that they contact ARMA directly for explanations. In her opinion, international experts "do not study cases in sufficient detail" and this leads to criticism of the agency.
About specific cases. I recommend that TI Ukraine's experts study and address ARMA in more detail about the grounds for these cases, not just criticize them. When TI Ukraine's experts examine these cases in detail, it will become clear that the Agency has faced the cancellation of arrests, the need for additional measures, appeals and control checks, etc
In addition, the Head of ARMA complained that the agency did not receive any international technical assistance to support its activities during the year.
However, Olena Duma's excuses look like another attempt to shift responsibility to other organizations and avoid criticism for the delayed processes and low efficiency of asset management. This issue becomes even more relevant against the background of significant resourcesallocated by the state to support ARMA's activities and public expectations for effective management of seized assets.
Recall
Transparency International Ukraine has recently criticized ARMA for an incomplete and deficient register of seized property in its report. The anti-corruption experts recommended that the agency work on filling it up.
In addition, TI Ukraine regularly criticizes ARMA for its low efficiency in selecting asset managers.
In general, ARMA is often criticized for the fact that under Olena Duma's leadership, the agency starts acting only after public pressure and media coverage. One of the main reasons for such actions, according to experts, is possible corruption motives. In particular, security expert Serhiy Shabovta statedthat the Asset Recovery and Management Agency is an instrument of "corruption and embezzlement.
In addition, there are doubts about the political independence of the ARMA leadership. In particular, recently it became known about possible backroom agreements taking place in the ARMA under the leadership of Olena Duma. According to UNN's informed sources, a close associate of the former deputy head of the Presidential Administration of Viktor Yanukovych, Andriy Portnov, lawyer and former MP Valeriy Pysarenko, regularly comes to the ARMA headquarters in Kyiv to meet personally with Olena Duma. The purpose of his visits is allegedly to discuss the transfer of large seized assets in favor of certain influential people, including Yulia Tymoshenko. Among these assets was, for example, the capital's Gulliver shopping center.
Immediately after the publication of this material, the ARMA was quick to disassociate itself from these visits. They stated that there were no visitors with the name of Valeriy Pysarenko in the log, and that Olena Duma was "not familiar" with the former MP at all.
However, they forgot to mention that their main office can be entered through four more "back" entrances and climbed through a window and two fire escapes, which have no logs of visits and security.
In general, statements about the non-transparent and ineffective work of the ARMA and its head, Olena Duma, have been made repeatedly. A petition calling for the dismissal of Olena Duma from her position due to her alleged ties to pro-Russian politicians and ineffective management of seized assetshas even appeared on the website of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine.