“This is a blow to international trust in ARMA”: expert on Duma's resistance to reform after the G7 ambassadors' statement

The public position of Olena Duma, head of the Asset Recovery and Management Agency, regarding draft law No. 12374-d on reforming the system of managing seized assets, after its support by international partners, finally discredits her as a leader. This opinion was expressed in an exclusive comment to UNN by political scientist Serhiy Shabovta.

This (Duma's public position - ed.) indicates a loss of confidence in the agency and its leader. You and I have repeatedly talked about the fact that the current activities of ARMA, its leadership, are so focused and oriented towards all corruption schemes. They act outside the law, simply mocking all norms. And it is clear that the head of the agency herself heads this all 

In his opinion, neglecting the position of the G7 ambassadors at such a difficult time is unacceptable, because it concerns the international authority of Ukraine.

The civilized world – it analyzes and sees everything. ARMA's activities are not unnoticed by them. They see from which organization such powerful leaks of certain corrupt actions come... On the one hand, we are all shouting that we are supposedly for the values ​​of the European Union, but with every such step that the head of ARMA takes, we distance ourselves from this 

Context

Earlier, the ambassadors of the G7 countries spoke out with a public statement in which they supported the speedy adoption of draft law No. 12374-d on the reform of the Asset Recovery and Management Agency. However, the head of ARMA, Olena Duma, once again opposed the document — even after a signal of support from international partners. She stated that the agency is preparing a "new, agreed draft law", although the current version has already been supported by the parliament in the first reading.

The head of the Verkhovna Rada's anti-corruption committee, Anastasia Radina, thanked the ambassadors for their support and noted that the committee is working on the adoption of draft law No. 12374-d for the second reading. She reminded that the document provides for an independent audit of ARMA, a new competitive procedure for the election of the head, and a significant improvement in the management system of seized assets.

Let us remind you

Olena Duma has repeatedly criticized draft law No. 12374-d on the reform of ARMA, which has already been supported by the parliament in the first reading. She stated that the document "contains politically motivated norms" and "may harm the entire anti-corruption infrastructure." At the same time, she herself calls her work in ARMA a "real breakthrough". At the same time, the head of the Verkhovna Rada's anti-corruption committee, Anastasia Radina, believes that Olena Duma and her colleagues "deliberately spread false information" about the draft law on the reform of ARMA in order to preserve the existing inefficient system.

Transparency International Ukraine actually supported Anastasia Radina's position and stated that the resistance of the head of ARMA, Olena Duma, is nothing more than a reluctance to get rid of levers of influence. Anti-corruption experts conducted a content analysis of ARMA's public communication and came to the conclusion that instead of a constructive dialogue on reforming the institution, the agency built a campaign to discredit draft law No. 12374-d on changing the management system of seized property and avoids any public recognition of its own mistakes.