On 14 June Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman assigned Head of the State Audit Service the task to start in-depth analysis of the work done by the Anti-Monopoly Committee of Ukraine “in terms of their support to public procurement” by means of performing an audit. According to the Prime Minister, the aforementioned is connected with blockage of procurement by the Anti-Monopoly Committee.

Lately, we have been observing the Government’s attempts to label the work of the AMCU in the area of public procurement as ineffective because they allegedly delay the procurement procedures and “block” them.

We would like to emphasize that the powers of the AMCU are regulated by the law. AMCU Panel on Review of Complaints on Violations of Law in Public Procurement has been created for review of complaints submitted by procurement participants and functions pursuant to the Law of Ukraine “On Public Procurement.” The Panel is now one of the very few effective mechanisms that protect the interests of business.

We believe that the assignment given to the State Audit Service and the actions of the Prime Minister of Ukraine towards the AMCU are uncalled for.

The powers of the State Audit Service prescribed by the law give no reason to fulfill the assignment of the Prime Minister. According to Art. 3 of the Law of Ukraine “On Fundamentals of Governmental Financial Control in Ukraine,” state-performed financial audit is a type of governmental financial control and consists in checking and analysis of the actual situation concerning legal and efficient use of public or municipal funds and property, other public assets, correct bookkeeping and truthfulness of financial reporting, functioning of the system of internal control.

Taking into account the above-mentioned, Transparency International Ukraine cannot see legal grounds for the State Audit Service to fulfill the assignment of the Prime Minister of Ukraine. We believe the situation to be a manifestation of pressure on  AMCU Panel on Review of Complaints on Violations of Law in Public Procurement.

Transparency International Ukraine again notes the generally effective and consistent work of the AMCU Panel.

As a reminder, the team of of public procurement monitoring DOZORRO has written that media have been interpreting the results of the Panel’s work and ProZorro functionality in part of disputing the results incorrectly. In contrast, the team has pointed out positive development in the Panel’s work.

 

 

Contact for media: Oleksandr Argat

Head of Communication Department

Transparency International Ukraine

Phone: + 38 093 844 24 81

E-mail: [email protected]

Transparency International Ukraine is a national chapter of Transparency International, an anti-corruption NGO which operates in more than 100 countries. TI Ukraine’s mission is to limit the increase of corruption in Ukraine by promoting transparency, accountability, and integrity in both the public authorities and civil society. You can learn more about the organization’s activity on the website www.ti-ukraine.org