ARMA moves forward: contracts signed for management of 434 railcars out of almost 21,000
Kyiv • UNN
ARMA has signed a contract to manage 434 railroad cars out of almost 21,000 seized. This happened after public pressure over the agency's inaction regarding the railcars, which had been idle for almost two years.
Following public pressure, the Asset Recovery and Management Agency has begun to return railroad cars that have been idle for almost two years to their managers. The head of ARMA, Olena Duma, reported on the signing of a contract for the management of 434 railroad cars out of almost 21,000, UNN reports.
Details
In mid-September, a new scandal erupted in the ARMA because the agency has been managing about 21,000 Russian-Belarusian railcars for more than two years and has not found a use for them. After that, Olena Duma hastened to announce that ARMA had chosen a manager for 436 of the 21,000 seized railcars. After the publicity, the agency began looking for a manager for almost 18,000 more railcars, but so far without success. Former MP Ihor Mosiychuk believes that the Duma could have deliberately delayed the process of finding managers for the Russian-Belarusian railcars, which indicates that it may be "working for the enemy.
On October 17, the head of the ARMA, Olena Duma, finally reported on the signing of an agreement with representatives of the Financial and Industrial Company Resource Group LLC to manage 434 railcars.
The railcars require technical inspection, repair and certification of their operation and intended use, which will require additional expenses from the Manager. At the same time, the Manager will ensure revenues to the state budget in the amount of 85% of the profit received
The railcars have been idle for almost two years under ARMA's management, so it is not surprising that they are now in need of repair and investment.
ARMA assured that they are also looking for managers for other railcars.
However, the question remains why ARMA acts only after publicity and under public pressure. This casts doubt on the agency's ability to effectively manage seized assets and raises doubts about the transparency of its operations.
Add
In general, statements about the non-transparent and ineffective work of the ARMA and its head, Olena Duma, have been made repeatedly. The website of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine even published 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 assets.
In addition, three weeks ago, all members of the public council under the ARMA resigned. At the meeting, they emphasized the lack of transparency in ARMA's work and the fact that the agency creates artificial obstacles to public oversight of its activities. They also stated that the ARMA management systematically ignores their appeals and does not involve them in the development of regulations, in violation of the law.
Ihor Chobitko, the former chairman of the Public Council under the ARMA, emphasized in a commentary to UNN that after the self-dissolution of the Public Council, the ARMA was left without external control, and therefore the activities of the ARMA cannot be called transparent.
