Lack of Control: Ukraine's Defense Procurement System Remains Unchanged – Shabunin
Kyiv • UNN
Shabunin stated there is insufficient control and a lack of reforms in the defense procurement system. Oversight of the distribution of €60 billion in EU aid remains weak.
Despite the change in leadership at the Ministry of Defense and public statements regarding the need to clean up the defense procurement system, global changes in this area have not yet occurred. The defense procurement system requires strengthened control and reform, especially in conditions where Ukraine receives tens of billions of euros in international defense aid. This was stated by Vitaliy Shabunin, head of the Anti-Corruption Action Center, UNN reports.
"I know that for Fedorov (Minister of Defense Mykhailo Fedorov – ed.), the third priority or fourth, well, one of the main ones – was cleaning up the defense procurement system. The defense procurement system is largely the DPA (Defense Procurement Agency – ed.). There are others, but the DPA is key. And so far, there are no global changes there (...) We do not see a change in the system yet,"
According to him, of all the changes that have taken place – it was upon the recommendation of head Fedorov that Taras Chmut was appointed as the representative of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine to the Supervisory Board of the Defense Procurement Agency. However, in Shabunin's opinion, this is not enough to control defense procurement.
"If the Minister of Defense does not have a mandate for the main thing – for honest defense procurement – then why be the Minister of Defense, because this is the main tool for the Minister's plans – money for means of destruction,"
Shabunin recalled that the European Parliament allocated 60 billion euros to Ukraine to strengthen defense capabilities and purchase military equipment.
"Umerov (former Minister of Defense Rustem Umerov – ed.) is already in the past, but the one who distributes a non-public, huge chunk of money – they will be distributing 60 billion (euros – ed.) of European money – things there have remained, excuse me, as they were. This worries me much more,"
As a reminder
In February, European Parliament President Roberta Metsola announced the signing of a decision on a 90 billion euro loan for Ukraine. The funds will go toward supporting public services, defense, and the country's European future. The first defense package from the EU loan, worth 45 billion euros, will arrive this quarter. About 6 billion euros of these funds will be directed toward the purchase of drones for the Armed Forces of Ukraine. In total, the Ministry of Defense will receive 60 billion euros.