Independent expert team completes Assessment of NABU

This Assessment covers the period from January 2021 to mid-summer 2023.

The National Bureau believes that the Assessment attests to the transparency and openness of the agency. Additionally, it underscores a steadfast commitment to the principles established during the Bureau's inception.

A follow-up report provides 150 specific recommendations. Of them 89 recommendations are within NABU's capacity, while the rest require external action (in particular, the adoption of certain draft laws by the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine).

The Assessment is aimed at:

• enhancing the effectiveness of the National Bureau;
• ensuring a more efficient use of human and financial resources;
• optimizing investigative efforts by NABU, and so on.

The Assessment was carried out courtesy of the US Embassy in Ukraine (INL), the EU Anti-Corruption Initiative in Ukraine (EUACI), and the Government of Japan. The International Development Law Organization (IDLO) provided technical support.

A team of the following independent experts prepared the report:

• Žydrūnas Bartkus (Anti-Corruption Expert, former Head of the Special Investigation Service of the Republic of Lithuania);
• Eric Johnson (former Assistant Inspector General, Investigations Division, Office of the Inspector General, US Department of Justice);
• Dmytro Kotliar (Anti-Corruption Expert);
• Masaru Tanaka (Advisor to the Minister of Finance of Ukraine, Japan);
• Carol Taraszka (Deputy Assistant Inspector General, Office of the Inspector General, U.S. Department of Justice).

The next significant step involves the formation of an Implementation Team in collaboration with international partners to enact the recommendations outlined in the report. Currently, this team is developing a corresponding Action Plan with several of the suggested recommendations already implemented.

The Assessment was spearheaded by the Director of NABU, Semen Kryvonos, who took office on March 6, 2023.