Prosecutor General Kravchenko announced an audit of “pending” NABU and SAPO cases

The Prosecutor General’s Office plans to conduct an audit of criminal cases that the NABU and SAPO have been investigating for several years.

This was stated by Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko during an open meeting of the Temporary Investigative Commission of the Verkhovna Rada on the investigation of possible corruption cases.

The Prosecutor General noted that the UCP will not be physically able to conduct an audit of all criminal proceedings in the NABU and SAPO. Therefore, they will concentrate only on those cases that have been investigated for a year or two or more.

He also recalled that during a briefing on July 22, he emphasized that among such cases is the PrivatBank case.

“What’s up with this case and why is it taking so long? Perhaps the proceedings are lying idle. Before making a decision on the transfer due to inefficiency, as the Prosecutor General, I plan to study the materials. First, the materials are studied, and only then a decision is made. Of course, I will not be able to study all the proceedings myself. You asked about the methodology for determining efficiency: I have the so-called Fifth Department, which ensures the activities of the management. There are prosecutors there who will help me, and I will make the decision,” he added.

Kravchenko also added that if prosecutors are already moving the case forward to a procedural decision, then it is unnecessary to withdraw the case due to inefficiency.

“If investigative actions are being conducted in the case of PrivatBank and the beneficiaries, and they proceed to a procedural decision, of course, I will not take the case. Why? Everyone has enough work,” the Prosecutor General said.

As a reminder, on July 22, the Verkhovna Rada voted for a bill that significantly limits the powers of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAP) , effectively subordinating their activities to the Prosecutor General.

Subsequently, the heads of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office appealed to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy not to sign the bill , which, in their opinion, destroys the independence of these bodies.

However, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a high-profile law that significantly changes the powers of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAP), strengthening control by the Prosecutor General.

By the way, the Verkhovna Rada plans to prepare a submission to the Constitutional Court of Ukraine to repeal Law No. 12414, which limits the independence of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAP).

It is worth noting that Dutch Foreign Minister Kaspar Veldkamp expressed concern about the restrictions on the independence of anti-corruption institutions in Ukraine, emphasizing that this threatens the country’s progress towards EU membership .

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