On 30 May, an internet vote for 15 candidates to the NABU Public Oversight Council will take place. It is a tool of civic control over the activity of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine. TI Ukraine nominates Kateryna Ryzhenko and Maksym Kostetskyi as its candidates for POC membership.
Kateryna Ryzhenko is the head of TI Ukraine’s legal department. For the past three years, she has been working on issues of anti-corruption infrastructure, monitoring of public and law enforcement agencies, as well as asset recovery and management.
Kateryna has already been elected to NABU POC twice, so she is well aware not only of the specifics of the Bureau’s activity, but also of the difficulties that a Council member may face.
“Ukraine is expecting parliamentary elections, and the High Anti-Corruption Court will go into operation in September. There will be even more attention and questions to the NABU and to the entire anti-corruption infrastructure,” says Kateryna. “So to identify effective work of the Bureau or lack thereof, total public oversight is needed.”
Ukraine is expecting parliamentary elections, and the High Anti-Corruption Court will go into operation in September. There will be even more attention and questions to the NABU and to the entire anti-corruption infrastructure. So to identify effective work of the Bureau or lack thereof, total public oversight is needed.
Kateryna Ryzhenko, Head of Legal, TI Ukraine
Maksym Kostetskyi is TI Ukraine’s legal advisor and a defense attorney. During the past two years, he has been actively working on implementation of anti-corruption and judicial reforms in Ukraine and accounted for systemic advocacy of High Anti-Corruption Court establishment.
Maksym is convinced that the Public Oversight Council fulfills an important social function, since the society should know and control the work of the specialized anti-corruption agency:
“TI Ukraine is actively working on implementation of certain reforms, including anti-corruption and judicial reforms. Therefore, we will be able to ensure two key things connected with the POC activity. The first thing is professional, high-quality oversight of the law enforcement agency’s activity, paid from taxpayers’ funds. The second thing is effective communication with the society, so it can be sure that the Bureau really does its work professionally.”
The online voting for 15 members to the new Council composition will take place on 30 May between 9 AM and 9 PM EET on nabu.gov.ua.
The official voting results will be announced on 6 June 2019.
As a reminder, NABU POC is an effective tool of civic oversight of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau’s activity. Council members participate in recruitment of NABU staff members, from detectives to directors of territorial subdivisions. The POC also delegates two members to the Disciplinary Commission, who review internal investigations together with three Bureau representatives and recommend various types of disciplinary punishment as required.
Find out more about the Public Oversight Council on the website.
We will be able to ensure two key things connected with the POC activity. The first thing is professional, high-quality oversight of the law enforcement agency's activity, paid from taxpayers' funds. The second thing is effective communication with the society, so it can be sure that the Bureau really does its work professionally.
Maksym Kostetskyi, legal advisor, TI Ukraine
