Managing ARMA is easy if you have a gold medal: Head of the Agency Duma tells how she became an expert in asset recovery

The head of the Asset Recovery and Management Agency, Olena Duma, has rejected accusations that she lacks the experience to lead ARMA, arguing that she graduated from high school with a gold medal and has "tremendous experience." She stated this in an interview with the BBC, UNN reports. 

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The appointment of Olena Duma as the head of the ARMA caused a flurry of criticism among anti-corruption activists. One of the arguments against her appointment was her lack of experience in this area.

"And what is the evidence for this information? I have a secondary education with a gold medal, I have a law degree from the best national university in Ukraine, I have practical experience and public service in the government, the Cabinet of Ministers, various ministries and departments. I held senior positions, have almost 15 years of experience in legal practice, was a leader of national platforms, defended the constitutional rights and freedoms of Ukrainian citizens, was a corruption whistleblower and headed the Social Insurance Fund," Duma said in an interview.

She added that she does not consider it necessary to respond to "such things" because statements about lack of experience are "just saying.

It is worth noting that Olena Duma was dismissed from the Social Insurance Fund. The reason for this was the results of the work of the Fund's temporary commission to study the issue of Duma's compliance with Ukrainian legislation on labor and compulsory state social insurance for the period from January 31, 2020 to April 22, 2020. No wonder anti-corruption activists had questions about her "crazy experience.

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In general, statements about the non-transparent and ineffective work of the ARMA and its head, Olena Duma, have been made repeatedly. 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 assetswas even posted on the website of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine.

In addition, more than three weeks ago all members of the ARMA Public Council resigned from their positions. At the meeting, they emphasized the lack of transparency in the work of the ARMA and the fact that the agency creates artificial obstacles to the implementation of public control over its activities. They also stated that the ARMA leadership 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 at the ARMA, in a commentary to UNN , emphasized that after the self-dissolution of the public council, the ARMA was left without external control, and therefore cannot be called transparent.