Pronin’s sabotage, lack of SBI reform and Anti-Corruption Strategy: what threatens Ukraine Facility funding
Фото: ukrainefacility.me.gov.ua
The Council of the European Union has approved changes to the “Ukraine Plan” within the framework of the Ukraine Facility mechanism. The EU emphasizes that budget support will be provided exclusively in exchange for reforms that the Ukrainian authorities are in no hurry to implement.
According to the EU’s plans, Ukraine could receive almost 40 billion euros by the end of this year – 23.4 billion euros for defense needs and 13.5 billion euros for budget support. Ukraine’s European partners are forced to make changes to the Plan because reform commitments have largely not been fulfilled.
Among them is the reboot of the State Bureau of Investigation, which is due to take place by the end of this year. The European Commission, in its Enlargement Reports for 2024 and 2025, explicitly indicated the need for reform of the Bureau. In particular, Ukraine should introduce transparent, merit-based procedures for selecting the SBI leadership with the involvement of independent experts — not a formal competition, but a mechanism capable of guaranteeing institutional independence from political influences.
Another indicator, unpleasant for the Ukrainian authorities, but extremely important for the European Union, is the competitive selection of heads of prosecutorial bodies. In fact, this is the final return of powers to the SAPO and NABU, which the authorities attacked a year ago. Then the Verkhovna Rada passed, and the president signed, a law that undermined the independence of the NABU and SAPO, and also strengthened the role of the Prosecutor General personally in controlling the prosecutorial system. The first part was canceled under pressure from society and partners, but the second was not.
Other conditions for receiving financial assistance include the adoption by the parliament of a new Anti-Corruption Strategy for 2026-2030; corporatization of key state-owned enterprises; and an increase in funding for the Bureau of Economic Security of Ukraine.
The European Union also insists on continuing until 2030 the involvement of independent experts in the selection of members of the High Qualification Commission of Judges of Ukraine.
The failure of just one indicator due to the inaction of the State Financial Monitoring Service under the leadership of Philip Pronin could cost Ukraine 67 million euros. On July 9, the Ministry of Finance of Ukraine published the minutes of the first meeting of the Council on Prevention and Counteraction to the Legalization (Laundering) of Proceeds of Crime, Financing of Terrorism and Financing of the Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction, which took place on June 30 with the participation of more than twenty state bodies. As it became clear from the minutes, the head of the State Financial Monitoring Service, Philip Pronin, has not yet approved the Report on the Results of the Fourth National Risk Assessment in the Field of Prevention and Counteraction to the Legalization (Laundering) of Proceeds of Crime, which was supposed to be done in December 2025.
A source at the Ministry of Economy believes that the disruption of Ukraine’s obligations under the Ukraine Facility and the failure to meet this indicator is estimated by the European Commission at 67 million euros. Point 4.8 of the Ukraine Plan has already been identified as “overdue” and “problematic.”
Also follow “Pryamim” on Facebook , X , Telegram , and Instagram.