NABU responds to Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko's statement on notices of suspicion against anti-corruption officials

The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO) have responded to Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko's statement regarding notices of suspicion against anti-corruption officials.

Source: press service of NABU and SAPO

Quote: "Regarding the Prosecutor General's statement, NABU and SAPO state that they view these actions as a continuation of a systematic attack on independent anti-corruption agencies.

This attack did not begin today. Its active phase started last summer, when one of the main objectives was an attempt to place NABU and SAPO under the authority of the Prosecutor General's Office.

NABU and SAPO do not take part in political struggles. We act strictly within the law and stand ready to defend the independence of the anti-corruption system.

As of now, no notice of suspicion has been officially served on NABU Director Semen Kryvonos."

Details: NABU reported that it had not seized any materials from the criminal proceedings referred to in the prosecutor general's statements.

It was noted that all assertions regarding NABU's alleged seizure of such materials do not correspond to reality.

Quote: "Consequently, the statements by the prosecutor general, who recently tendered his resignation, are currently of a public rather than a procedural nature.

We would like to emphasise separately that NABU and SAPO have never offered or requested any form of 'immunity' for anyone – neither for their own employees nor for other individuals."

Background:

• Amid the NABU and SAPO investigation into the "protection racket" concerning sham call centres, Ruslan Kravchenko submitted his resignation as prosecutor general.
• On 14 September, Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko stated that he had signed a notice of suspicion against NABU director Semen Kryvonos and accused NABU and SAPO of seizing case files concerning proceedings against their own staff during searches conducted as part of an anti-corruption operation called Operation Carthage, in an effort to halt procedural decisions in these cases.
• In response, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called on parliament to urgently support the dismissal of Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko.
• According to Ukrainska Pravda sources in law enforcement agencies, Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko left Ukraine in an official vehicle on the night of 13-14 September.

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