Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko has formed the Selection Commission to select the leadership of the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO), appointing three additional members nominated by international and foreign organizations.
The appointees are:
- Martin Ortner — Chief Public Prosecutor, Austrian Economic and Corruption Prosecutor’s Office
- Laura Oana Stefan — Anti-corruption expert, former department director at the Romanian Ministry of Justice, and international expert with the European Commission and the Council of Europe on the rule of law
- Jens Madsen — Special Advisor at Plesner (Denmark’s leading law firm), former head of the Danish State Prosecution Service for Serious Economic and International Crime and the Danish Security and Intelligence Service.
The participation of international members in SAPO selection commissions serves as an important safeguard for the independence of the process. At the same time, the quality of the commission’s work depends on the collective performance of all its members — both international and national.
In January 2026, TI Ukraine drew attention to concerns over the composition of the commission with respect to its Ukrainian members. In particular, the organization called on the Prosecutor General to reconsider the appointment of attorney Oleksii Shevchuk, citing circumstances that call into question his compliance with the criteria of impeccable reputation and integrity.
Kravchenko responded to that call by stating that he lacks the authority to alter the composition of the competition commission. Shevchuk remains on the commission.
In addition to Oleksii Shevchuk, the national portion of the selection commission also includes:
- Iryna Horban — Head of Division at the Prosecutor General’s Office
- Serhiy Shmalenia — Deputy Head of Department at the Prosecutor General’s Office.
This competition concerns, among other positions, the role of Deputy Head of the SAPO. Andrii Syniuk, who held that position, resigned in November 2025 following the negative publicity surrounding Operation Midas. The Deputy Head of the anti-corruption prosecutor’s office assumes leadership of the institution in the event of the Head’s absence or termination of powers — a position on which SAPO’s operational capacity to investigate high-level corruption directly depends.
TI Ukraine continues to monitor the competition process and calls for full transparency and adherence to the highest standards of integrity.
The quality of the commission's work depends on the collective performance of all its members — both international and national.
