An expert on possible abuses at the National Bank: how can we overcome Russia if we have not overcome ourselves

Currently, during the war with Russia, international financial assistance is extremely important for Ukraine. However, scandals related to corruption and abuse in government agencies damage the image of the state. This opinion was expressed in a commentary to UNN by Viktor Bobyrenko, head of the expert group of the Bureau of Policy Analysis.

Earlier, UNN learned from its own sources that the State Bureau of Investigation opened a criminal proceeding on the fact of possible abuse of power or official position, which led to serious consequences, by the director of the legal department, Oleksandr Zyma. The criminal case concerns a letter from the National Bank to the DGF signed by Zyma, who is also the chairman of the administrative board of the Deposit Guarantee Fund. In the letter, he recommended that the Fund drop four lawsuits that Concord Bank had filed against the NBU before the decision to liquidate the bank and introduce a temporary administration was made. The DGF implemented Zyma's recommendation.

"We are constantly asking for help, saying that we have overcome corruption: give us money and we will overcome Russia. But how can we overcome Russia if we have not overcome ourselves? Therefore, such cases definitely affect our image," Bobyrenko said.

According to him, there is a lack of respect for institutions in Ukraine, and they are used for their own interests: enrichment or increase of power and influence. Bobyrenko believes that something similar exists in Russia. "But how do we differ from Russia, when we seem to be fighting and fighting for European values, but we do not profess them? This is the paradox of Ukraine, that it is fighting for values that it does not profess," he said.

At the same time, he emphasized that respect for government agencies is a European standard. "For us to understand that if the regulator violates the rules, then in the European tradition, this is the bottom and the skirting board. Because respect for institutions is a European standard," Bobirenko said.

Recall

The United States has prepared a confidential version of the strategy to help Ukraine, where corruption is seen as a real threat. The strategy includes reforms to fight corruption, de-oligarchization, transition of the army to NATO standards, and in-depth study of English.