Responding to media inquiries and in order to prevent speculations regarding the investigation against the Deputy Prosecutor General, the Head of the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office, we are noting the following information.
The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) categorically disagrees with the NACP`s (National Agency on Corruption Prevention) decision №1375 of December 18, 2017, in which the Agency interprets certain provisions of the Law of Ukraine «On Corruption Prevention» regarding the investigation of offences under Articles 366-1 and 368-2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. According to the NABU, the proposed explanation of the NACP is legally unjustified and may help corrupt officials to evade criminal liability for illegal enrichment and submitting false data to e-declarations.
In response to numerous requests from mass media with regards to reports that Paul Manafort`s Consulting firm had received 17 million USD from the Party of Regions in 2012-2014, the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor`s Office (SAPO) inform on the following. The name of Paul Manafort was mentioned in 22 items in the period from November 20, 2007, to October 5, 2012, in the documents that were passed to the NABU by the Former First Deputy of the State Security Service of Ukraine Viktor Trepak in May 2016. According to the lists, a total sum of the money received amounts to 12.7 million USD.
The Draft Law №6220 "On Amendments to the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine on Entering of Data into the Unified Register of Pre-trial Investigations and Basis on Termination the Criminal Proceedings" is under consideration in the Verkhovna Rada. The adoption of the abovementioned Draft Law can block investigations of law enforcement agencies, including investigations of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor`s Office (SAPO).
The High Council of Justice (HCJ) again shows the intention to undermine the judicial reform. In January 2017 the HCJ made certain statements on a special procedure for the arrest and detention of judges and it actually undermined the achievements of the judicial reform. On March 9, 2017, the High Council of Justice approved the Conclusion on the alleged unconstitutionality of the Law "On the Specialized Anti-Corruption Courts" and on the lack of grounds for their establishment.