Cabinet of Ministers names experts to audit NABU

The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine is preparing for an independent audit, and the names of candidates for the commission that will review the activities of anti-corruption officials are already known. This was reported by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine in response to a request by UNN.

As noted, an independent assessment of the NABU's activities will be provided by a three-member commission appointed by the Cabinet of Ministers based on proposals from international and foreign organizations.

International and foreign organizations propose to include Arpo Martin, Westbrooks Robert and Cronje Hermione Therese to the Commission for External Independent Evaluation (Audit) of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine

The Cabinet of Ministers emphasized that the members of the commission act independently and should not fulfill orders or instructions given by any person. The Commission must approve and publish the criteria and methodology for conducting the audit.

The first independent audit of the NABU's activities is conducted one year after the appointment of the bureau's director. However, it is worth noting that the current NABU Director Semen Kryvonos has been heading the bureau since March 6, 2023, which is almost a year and a half.

Mr. Kryvonos recently stated that he is "very much looking forward" to the audit, which should reveal both the strengths and weaknesses of the bureau.

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In their report on the results of the previous audit, foreign experts identified a number of problems in the NABU's activities. In particular, the auditors concluded that detectives need to communicate with psychologists and the ombudsman. 

The NABU audit also revealed signs of low morale among anti-corruption officers and a massive desire to leave the bureau. In particular, the detectives were "stressed" by the war and bureaucracy.

Foreign experts also pointed out that the level of public trust in the NABU remains very low. According to their information, in 2023, more than half of the respondents (54.4%) did not trust the anti-corruption officers, and those who fully or at least partially trusted the actions of the detectives were less than a third, only about 28% of the respondents. The auditors pointed out that the level of trust in anti-corruption activists is affected by the lack of convictions in high-profile cases. 

In addition, international auditors have statedthat the HACC reviews cases for years, while NABU detectives can investigate them for decades. However, as practice shows, the duration of an anti-corruption investigation does not affect its quality, as "high-profile" NABU cases against high-ranking officials have repeatedly fallen apart in courts.