Reputational Irresponsibility: MP Kuzminykh, Accused of Bribery, Undermines Ukraine's Image

In a democratic society, public figures bear not only legal but also reputational responsibility. This principle is the foundation of citizens' trust in the state and its institutions. In Ukraine, however, despite numerous anti-corruption initiatives, including the introduction of the integrity institution, the reputational responsibility of politicians remains underdeveloped. One example of reputational irresponsibility can be seen in MP Serhiy Kuzminykh, who continues his political career despite his actions potentially deserving condemnation, writes UNN.

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Serhiy Kuzminykh remains the head of the subcommittee on pharmacy of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on National Health, despite being accused in a criminal proceeding for receiving a bribe of over half a million hryvnias for facilitating the signing of contracts for the supply of medical equipment to a hospital in the Zhytomyr region. For almost three years, the High Anti-Corruption Court has been hearing the case of the MP, but during this time, he has not only not resigned his mandate – he continues to actively participate in shaping state policy in the pharmaceutical sector.

In addition, Kuzminykh is a participant in inter-parliamentary groups for cooperation with other states, in particular, he is a member of groups for inter-parliamentary relations with countries such as the USA and Canada. Moreover, he even missed a court hearing due to a business trip to Moldova, where he was as an official representative of the Ukrainian parliament. Thus, the very person who still manages to avoid responsibility for a corruption crime represents Ukraine at the international level. This creates reputational risks not only for the parliament but also for the entire Ukrainian government, which, in conditions of war and reforms, is fighting for the trust of Western partners.

In addition, as UNN journalists found out, Kuzminykh's activities have long gone beyond purely parliamentary duties. In the summer of 2024, he probably became one of the key players in the pharmaceutical company "Darnytsia"'s strategy for market redistribution. It is for this reason, according to sources, that Kuzminykh is so actively promoting the initiative for a complete ban on marketing in the pharmaceutical market, as well as "Darnytsia"'s narratives.

As is known, even before becoming a deputy, Serhiy Kuzminykh had active ties with pharmaceutical companies. In particular, the charitable organization "Zagoria Family Foundation", founded by the owners of the Darnytsia pharmaceutical plant Kateryna and Hlib Zagoria, provided over UAH 9.5 million to the Kuzminykh brothers' fund in 2016–2018. That is, even before the start of his career in parliament, Kuzminykh received support from representatives of large pharmaceutical businesses. At that time, Kuzminykh worked as a member of the Ministry of Health commission, which was engaged in terminating the validity of registration certificates. These circumstances have already become the subject of a separate check by the NACP.

The paradox is that even with a criminal proceeding, checks for conflict of interest, and criticism from the market and society, the system does not react. The court process in Kuzminykh's case has been going on for years, and waiting for a verdict is not enough. The principle of reputational responsibility must work. A politician who is under investigation or who actually serves the interests of a specific business cannot be an MP and represent Ukraine at the interstate level. After all, for international partners, an MP who is accused of a corruption crime is not about transformations and reforms. As long as reputational responsibility remains an empty slogan, trust in MPs – both within the country and at the international level – is under attack. And something definitely needs to be done about this.