EU expects transparency guarantees from Ukraine after corruption scandal at Energoatom
Фото: Енергоатом
Ukraine’s European partners are demanding from Kyiv clear guarantees of transparent use of financial aid after the discovery of a large-scale corruption scheme at the state-owned company Energoatom. According to anti-corruption authorities, the amount of kickbacks amounted to about $100 million.
This is reported by Politico.
The scandal has divided Ukraine’s European allies, with some partners seeing the investigation as proof of the independence of Ukraine’s anti-corruption agencies, while others are calling on Kyiv to provide additional guarantees and clarifications on financial control.
“The endemic corruption revealed during the inspections is unacceptable. This will force the European Commission to reconsider how funds are spent on Ukraine’s energy sector,” the publication quotes an EU official as saying.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, in a telephone conversation with President Volodymyr Zelensky, emphasized the need to continue anti-corruption reforms and establish transparent rules for controlling public finances.
According to EU representatives, Kyiv must present a detailed plan to combat corruption in order to restore the trust of international partners and demonstrate the seriousness of its intentions regarding the transparent use of aid.
It should be noted that against the backdrop of the exposure of the corruption scheme at Energoatom, Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko announced an audit of all state-owned companies.
As a reminder, NABU and SAPO are conducting a large-scale operation “Midas” to expose corruption in the energy sector . According to the investigation, the activities of a high-level criminal organization were established, which controlled financial flows and personnel decisions in state energy structures.
It is worth noting that the National Anti-Corruption Bureau and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office reported suspicions against 7 individuals involved in a large-scale corruption scheme at JSC NNEGC Energoatom.
Previously, the court chose a preventive measure in the form of detention for a participant in a corruption scheme in the energy sector – Executive Director for Physical Protection and Security of Energoatom, Dmytro Basov.
At the same time, the Supreme Court of Ukraine decided to detain the former advisor to the Minister of Energy, Ihor Myronyuk , who is suspected of participating in a corruption scheme at Energoatom.
It should be noted that the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that he would sign a decree on the application of sanctions against participants in the corruption scheme at Energoatom.
The day before, the Supreme Anti-Corruption Court chose a preventive measure for Ihor Fursenko (“Ryoshik”), a suspect in the “Midas” case.
In addition, on November 12 , the Supreme Anti-Corruption Court of Ukraine ruled to detain former advisor to the Minister of Energy Ihor Myronyuk, who is suspected of participating in a corruption scheme at Energoatom.
Also on Wednesday, November 12, the Supreme Anti-Corruption Court imposed a preventive measure on one of the participants in the corruption scheme in the energy sector – Executive Director for Physical Protection and Security of Energoatom, Dmytro Basov.
It should be added that during the detention in the “Midas” case, detectives from the National Anti-Corruption Bureau witnessed an attempt by the defendants to destroy evidence.
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