NACP: Officials Understated Declarations by at Least UAH 1.2 Billion in 2021

The agency gave a detailed account of violations among officials based on 1,026 declarations.

In 2021, the National Agency on Corruption Prevention (NACP) completed a full review of 1,026 declarations and identified inaccurate information worth more than UAH 1.2 billion. This is reported by NACP.

Signs of criminal offenses were found in 119 declarations. These declarations of officials revealed signs of submitting false information worth over UAH 1.1 million (under Article 366-2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).

In particular, violations were found in the declarations of the following officials:

• two judges of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine (CCU)
• two judges of higher courts
• 19 People's Deputies of Ukraine
• three deputy heads of regional state administrations
• 65 deputies of local councils

Among those whose declarations contained false information in significant amounts:

• a People's Deputy of Ukraine — false information worth over UAH 73 million;
• a deputy of the Odesa Regional Council — false information worth UAH 69.9 million;
• a deputy head of department of the State Fiscal Service of Ukraine — false information worth UAH 64.6 million;
• a juror of the Khmelnytskyi District Court — false information worth UAH 57.6 million;
• a deputy of the Odesa Regional Council — false information worth UAH 45 million.

Also last year, unconfirmed assets totaling UAH 84.8 million were identified.

Of these, 11 declarations showed signs of unjustified assets:

• a former deputy of the State Bureau of Investigation;
• a People's Deputy of Ukraine;
• a police officer;
• two civil servants of category 'B';
• six deputies of local councils.

In one declaration submitted by a former head of the Department of the North-Eastern Office of the State Audit Service in Luhansk Region, signs of illicit enrichment were identified. 

Signs of an administrative offense (under Part 4 of Article 172-6 of the Code of Ukraine on Administrative Offenses — declaring false information worth from UAH 227 thousand to UAH 1.1 million) were found in 171 declarations, in particular those submitted by the following persons:

• a judge of the CCU;
• a judge of the Supreme Court;
• two ministers;
• seven deputy ministers;
• 16 People's Deputies of Ukraine;
• five deputy heads of regional state administrations;
• 48 deputies of local councils.

At the same time, in 351 declarations the NACP identified minor violations with no monetary value. Another 385 declarations contained false information in amounts up to 100 subsistence minimums, which does not entail liability.

The NACP explained that the review of declarations was completed based on the highest position held (under the Priority Order, which lists officials whose declarations must be checked first). The NACP conducted a full review of 669 declarations and found false information worth more than UAH 183 million overall.

Of these, 63 declarations showed signs of violations, and two declarations showed signs of unjustified assets. Thanks to appeals from citizens and journalists, false information worth UAH 418 million was found in officials' declarations overall.

Based on reports of possible false declaration from citizens, journalists and law enforcement officers, the NACP conducted a full review of 183 declarations. As for 74% of declarations, the information was confirmed during the review — 136 declarations showed signs of violations.

Also, in five declarations whose review was initiated based on reports, signs of unjustified assets were found, and in one declaration – signs of illicit enrichment.

Based on the results of risk analysis of declarations using digital tools, the NACP conducted a full review of 161 declarations. Overall, false information worth more than UAH 522 million was found.

Of these, 78 declarations showed signs of violations, and 4 declarations — signs of unjustified assets.

Based on the results of lifestyle monitoring conducted by the Agency, a full review of 13 declarations was completed out of more than 30 officials. During the review, information was confirmed in 100% of declarations — all 13 reviewed declarations showed signs of violations worth more than UAH 153 million in total.

Materials on the detected signs of criminal offenses were transferred to the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine, the National Police of Ukraine, the State Bureau of Investigation or the Office of the Prosecutor General for appropriate response.

56 criminal proceedings have already been registered based on these materials. Among them:

• judges of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine;
• judges of the Supreme Court;
• judges of the High Anti-Corruption Court;
• 14 People's Deputies of Ukraine;
• five deputies of regional councils.

Information on detected signs of unjustified assets was transferred to the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office for subsequent filing with the High Anti-Corruption Court of a lawsuit to recognize the assets as unjustified and recover them into state revenue.

Authorized NACP officials drew up and sent to court 52 administrative protocols under Part 4 of Article 172-6 of the Code of Ukraine on Administrative Offenses against officials.

Regarding other declarants, materials on the detected signs of administrative offenses were transferred to the National Police.

To date, courts have found 5 people guilty of committing an administrative offense under Part 4 of Article 172-6 of the Code of Ukraine on Administrative Offenses.

Of these, 2 first-instance court decisions, despite appeals, entered into legal force:

• against a former deputy minister of infrastructure;
• against the head of the Kyiv City Department of State Registration of Marriages.

The courts imposed a fine of UAH 17 thousand on these individuals.