Hetmantsev's tame Sokur: what the former assistant to the head of the Verkhovna Rada Finance Committee does in the tax service

Since May 2022, Yevhen Sokur has been acting deputy head of the State Yevhen Sokur has been working as an acting deputy of the State Tax Service of Ukraine since May 2012. Business representatives and experts consider him to be a man of MP Danylo Hetmantsev, head of the Verkhovna Rada's Finance Committee. UNN decided to find out whether there are really any grounds to assert this and what, in fact, 30-year-old Sokur does in such a high position in the tax service.

In June 2023, Yevhen Sokur presented the directions of digitalization of the State Tax Service.

"Our main task for today is to build truly transparent relations with taxpayers. To this end, we are introducing easy and understandable services. To establish trust between the tax authorities and the taxpayer we are moving in three directions. The first is the quality processing of information, Big Data and data security. We also focus on communications and services. Innovative changes in our service are aimed at ensuring that taxpayers spend as little time as possible on fulfilling tax obligations and more on business. And the third is compliance and administration," emphasized Yevhen Sokur at the Economic Forum. "Key Anti-Corruption and Institutional Changes for Ukraine's Recovery", organized by the Ukrainian Business Council.

The head of the Ministry of Digital Transformation, Mykhailo Fedorov, who was present at the same event, noted that in order to gain trust from business, it would be worthwhile to announce specific timelines for the implementation of the initiative, and detailed steps and costs. However, this did not happen at the time. The media speculate that this is because Sokur benefits from the current state of affairs, because in fact, he is in charge of blocking tax invoices, as well as excise taxes and fines for businesses.

The general public became aware of Yevhen Sokur's name in August 2023. At that time, the National Police reported that it had prevented an assassination attempt on a senior of the tax service. And the media then named this high-ranking official as Yevhen Sokur. As for Danylo Hetmantsev also spoke about the possible motives for the assassination attempt.

"It is obvious that many people do not like the changes that have been taking place in the tax that have been taking place in the tax service for a year and a half," said Danylo Hetmantsev.

According to the MP, the tax service is changing its work, breaking schemes, revokes licenses from distilleries and tobacco producers, and many people do not like it. many people do not like it.

Is this really true? Perhaps someone does not like Sokur's activities really do not like Sokur's activities. But in the public sphere, there are complaints from representatives of business representatives, who say not about breaking schemes, but rather about creating them. 

So who is Yevhen Sokur?

Sokur has been acting deputy head of the State Tax Service for more than a year, but the website of the tax authority still does not even have his photo, not to mention let alone his work biography.

Prior to his appointment as acting deputy head of the STS, Sokur had never worked in the tax service.

"Private legal practice. He accompanied in courts disputes, advised clients. That is, I had such experience," Sokur said in a commentary to the journalist of "Hroshi"

When asked whether he had direct experience of working in the tax authorities, Sokur said: "This is a must."

But there is one point in Sokur's work history that was probably enough to get him appointed, apparently, was enough to be appointed to a high position - he was an assistant to MP, Chairman of the Tax Committee Danylo Hetmantsev, who, according to experts and business representatives, is in charge of the experts and business representatives claim that he runs the tax office in a manual mode.

Sokur was selected for the position of head of the of the Department of Economic Analysis of the State Tax Service, but did not pass, because on April 18, 2022 Maryna Baryakhtar was announced the winner, who, according to Hroshi, refused to take the position three days later. refused to take the position three days later. Sokur was announced the winner. And already on May 7 he became the acting deputy head of the State Tax Service.

"He became acting head in May 2022, and the application was submitted in April. and the application was submitted in April. That is, immediately after the start of the great war. At that time time, there were no particular applicants - no queue. And then it was not a matter of status or other privileges. On the contrary," - this is how Hetmantsev himself explained the appointment of his Hetmantsev himself explained the appointment of his former assistant.

Not much is known about Sokur's activities before his appointment (and, in fact, there are no specifics about his work at the State Tax Service).

According to the YouControl system, he is still associated with the NGO "Association of Tax Advisors" and the NGO "TAXAKADEMI."

The former was once headed by Hetmantsev. In addition, he was a member of the Public Council at the State Tax Service includes a representative of the NGO "Association of Tax Advisors" Vitalii Odzhykovskyi.

One of the founders of Taxacademy is also Danylo Hetmantsev.  It is also known that in 2018 Sokur worked for the law firm Yurimex, the ultimate beneficiary of which was previously... Hetmantsev.

In March 2021, Sokur received the right to practice to practice law. It was granted to him by the Bar Council of Zakarpattia region. Currently, the right to practice law is suspended, as indicated in the register of of advocates - on the basis of an application.

An interesting fact in Sokur's biography is pointed out by journalists of "Hrosha."

"Last year, he received a tax amnesty for more than 2.5 million hryvnias. This means that he had previously hidden it from the tax authorities. But now. "confessed", paid less, and avoided responsibility," reads the the investigation on the tax officer.

An interesting fact, you will agree. Especially since Mr. Sokur's career is intertwined with Hetmantsev's companies and organizations. Isn't that where Sokur earned those 2.5 million hryvnias that he hid from taxes.

But that's not all. Dengi journalists found out that Sokur was the one who revoked the license of the Kremenchuk Oil Refinery.

"The Kremenchuk oil refinery has resisted Russian missile attacks. But it could not resist the tax authorities' fraud. Sokur simply revoked its license. According to experts, it was on the order of Hetmantsev," the story adds.

Sokur has been in the status of acting head of the State Tax Service all this time, as well as the head of the State Tax Service. Danylo Hetmantsev has an explanation for this.

"This is a principled position of the Cabinet of Ministers, with which I absolutely agree. I absolutely agree with. When a person is able to do his job and demonstrates efficiency and results, they are appointed. If not, it is much easier to dismiss them in this status. It is much easier to dismiss them in this status," Hetmantsev said.

According to the MP, this is one of the methods that will help to fight corruption. It is interesting why Sokur has been in this limbo for more than a year. in this state of limbo for more than a year. There are still doubts about his capacity and competence. Or is it just more convenient to control him.