The Cabinet Appoints Olena Duma Head of ARMA — TI Ukraine Considers It a Mistake

On June 30, at a meeting, the Cabinet of Ministers appointed Olena Duma head of the Asset Recovery and Management Agency. This decision could play a fatal role in the future of the ARMA.

Transparency International Ukraine will continue closely monitoring the work of the ARMA and its newly appointed Head.

Transparency International Ukraine, other civil society organizations, and the professional community strongly opposed the election of Duma as the Head of the Agency. There have been many public statements about this by experts and the public. Concerns of the civil society were also noted by G7 ambassadors.

We have emphasized that Olena Duma does not meet the requirements that apply to the head of the ARMA. Moreover, some facts from the biography of Duma pose a direct threat to the future activities of the body.

“The decision to appoint Duma will definitely affect the future of the ARMA, most likely, in a negative way. The creation and proper functioning of the Agency is one of the requirements of the visa-free regime. Therefore, inept, and even more so, politically biased management of the ARMA can affect not only the body itself, but also the European integration process,” said Andrii Borovyk, Executive Director of Transparency International Ukraine.

TI Ukraine is appalled by this decision of the government, but we will continue monitoring the work of the Agency and its new head Olena Duma and report all violations in her work.