Hetmantsev's silence: why the Head of the Tax Committee ignores violations of one of the State Tax Service's executives

Recently, the public has been raising more and more questions about possible crimes committed by the acting deputy head of the State Tax Service (STS), Yevhen Sokur. Against this backdrop, the silence of the chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Finance, Taxation and Customs Policy, Danylo Hetmantsev, is particularly noteworthy, UNN writes.

Context

Earlier, the media reported that Sokur had once again illegally revoked the license of a Ukrainian company. After the acting deputy head of the State Tax Service unlawfully deprived Ukrtatnafta of its license, which, according to the investigation, probably caused serious consequences for the company and the state in the form of the inability to fulfill the mobilization tasks of the Ministry of Defense for the production and supply of petroleum products for the needs of defense and the state's defense capability, Sokur resorted to violations again. This time, he took away the license from Chervonoslobidskyi Distillery. The court of first instance confirmed the illegality of the tax officer's actions.

Despite the high-profile scandal against the backdrop of lawlessness committed by tax officials, there has been no reaction from the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Financial, Tax and Customs Policy. Its chairman, Danylo Hetmantsev, constantly covers the work of tax officials in his social media and even sometimes comments on the detention of State Tax Service employees for corruption. 

However, in the case of Sokur, he is silent for some reason. Although it is known for certain that Hetmantsev actively monitors the career of his former assistant and was even one of the first to report the attackthat was allegedly committed against Sokur.

It is possible that the silence of the head of the Rada's tax committee is due to the fact that he is closely associated with the acting deputy head of the State Tax Service. Sokur, in particular, is called a protege and Hetmantsev's right-hand man. 

According to experts, it is Sokur who is responsible for personnel policy in the tax office and coordinates all candidates with his former boss.

As the head of the committee, Hetmantsev should be responsible for overseeing the activities of the tax service and its officials. His silence on Sokur's violations may indicate an attempt to avoid drawing attention to a problem that may be deeper than it appears at first glance.

To avoid further erosion of trust in the government, Danylo Hetmantsev should make public statements and initiate an investigation into Yevhen Sokur. This will demonstrate that the authorities are truly ready to fight corruption, regardless of who is involved. 

As a result, Hetmantsev's silence not only undermines his personal credibility, but also calls into question the effectiveness of the fight against corruption in Ukraine. The public has the right to know the truth, and this truth should be made public without exception.

Recall

UNN previously reported that criminal proceedings were opened against Sokur on November 4, 2022 under Part 3 of Article 365 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (abuse of power or official authority). On October 26, 2022, the acting deputy head of the State Tax Service issued an order to revoke Ukrtatnafta's license to produce fuel. According to the investigation, his actions caused severe consequences for the company and the state in the form of the inability to fulfill the mobilization tasks of the Ministry of Defense for the production and supply of petroleum products for the needs of defense and defense capability of the state.

The Office of the Prosecutor General confirmed to UNNthat investigators from the State Bureau of Investigation are investigating a case involving the acting deputy head of the State Tax Service of Ukraine, Yevhen Sokur. Despite this, Sokur remains in office.