Tax scandals: how Hetmantsev “does not notice” his protégé's violations

The influence of Danylo Hetmantsev, chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Finance, Taxation and Customs Policy, on the tax service has been constantly attracting public attention. This time, one of his protégés, Acting Deputy Head of the State Tax Service Yevhen Sokur, is at the center of the scandal. Recent revelations by journalists question the honesty and transparency of his actions, pointing to possible violations of the law. However, Hetmantsev seems to be not only turning a blind eye to these accusations, which raises questions about his true motives, but will also try to help his protégé avoid responsibility, UNN writes.

Violations that are ignored

According to UNN, Yevhen Sokur entered allegedly false data in his declaration for 2023. In particular, he did not indicate in the document the information about his partner. During the investigation into the case of an alleged attempted assassination attempt, Sokur himself told law enforcement officers that since 2016 he had been living with a girl named Alina in an apartment at 6-D Lobanovskoho Avenue. Following a deputy appeal from Nina Yuzhanina, a member of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Finance, Taxation and Customs Policy, the NACP launched an investigation into Yevhen Sokur . In response to a request from UNN, the Agency also confirmed that it was conducting monitoring. Kateryna Butko, head of the Public Council at the NAPC, noted that the National Agency for the Prevention of Corruption is checking whether Sokur and his partner Alina had a common life.

Also, in 2022, he declared income from the sale of securities in the amount of UAH 2.6 million, but these funds were not reflected in his declaration for 2023. This may indicate a violation of the law requiring notification of significant changes in property status. According to Article 52 of the Law of Ukraine "On Prevention of Corruption," the declarant is obliged to report such changes within 10 days. According to Oleksandr Zolotukhin, a member of the National Bar Association, the official may try to explain why he did not declare these expenses by saying that he leads a lifestyle and, for example, likes to eat out.

In addition, the assassination attempt on the acting deputy head of the State Tax Service of Ukraine, Yevhen Sokur, which allegedly took place in August 2023, raises many questions about its authenticity. Journalists suggest that it could have been stagedto divert attention from the criminal case against Sokur for abuse of office.

We are talking about criminal proceedingsopened on November 4, 2022 under Part 3 of Art. 365 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, on the fact of abuse of office by the acting Deputy Head of the State Tax Service of Ukraine Yevhen Sokur, who on October 26, 2022 issued an order to revoke the license of PJSC Ukrtatnafta for the production of fuel. Such actions of Sokur, according to the investigation , 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 defense capability of the state.

Experts interviewed by UNN suggested that Danylo Hetmantsev, head of the Rada's tax committee, could have helped Sokur avoid prosecution by law enforcement agencies.

Sokur vs. Hetmantsev

Rumors have been circulating for several years that Yevhen Sokur is Hetmantsev's man in the tax service. Previously, the official was an assistant to an MP in the Verkhovna Rada and worked at the Yurimex law firm, which is associated with Danylo Hetmantsev. 

The chairman of the Tax Committee probably liked Sokur so much that he decided to appoint the talented young man to the tax office. However, there were difficulties with the appointment of Sokur, who had never worked in the tax authorities before. 

In April 2022, he failed the selection for the position of head of the Economic Analysis Department of the State Tax Service. On April 18, 2022, Marina Baryakhtar was announced as the winner of the selection, but, according to media reports, she refused to take the position three days later. In other words, she actually gave way to Sokur, whom the media call Hetmantsev's right-hand man at the tax office. At the time, the young official needed this position as an intermediate step to the position of acting deputy head of the State Tax Service of Ukraine. After all, just two weeks later, on May 7, he was promoted to this leadership position. It is possible that there was an agreement with Barakhtyar, because she did not leave the State Tax Service and became the director of the Risk Management Department. 

According to the agency's interlocutors from among the tax authorities, after Sokur was promoted to the top position, it was with his help that Hetmantsev began to control the personnel policy of the state body and appoint loyal people to positions. In particular, the acting deputy head of the State Tax Service personally travels to the regions to appoint or dismiss heads of regional tax offices. 

In addition, according to media reports , Sokur took over the key most profitable and at the same time the most corrupt areas of the tax service. These include licensing, appointment of tax audits, as well as work with tax invoices and adjustment calculations. 

Therefore, it is not surprising that Hetmantsev, who declares zero tolerance for corruption in the tax service and violations committed by its officials, "turns a blind eye" to the alleged crimes of his protege. 

Former military officer and leader of the Democratic Axe party, Yuriy Hudymenko, is convinced that the head of the Rada's tax committee will cover up for his protégé to the last .

"Potentially, I think that they are likely to open some kind of proceedings where he (Yevhen Sokur - ed.)  is a witness or someone else, just to put a check mark that some kind of activity is going on. But I think Sokur will continue to work, because he is, as you say, Hetmantsev's man, it's a fact, and Hetmantsev will cover him to the last and he will remain in his position, most likely as long as Hetmantsev is satisfied with him, or as long as Hetmantsev holds his position and has his influence," Gudymenko said.

The public has long noticed that some of Hetmantsev's "subordinates" remain untouched, despite constant scandals and media coverage. Hetmantsev's actions, or rather his inaction, may be another proof that influential politicians continue to protect their people, even if it is detrimental to the state's interests.