Public Control Council at NABU: How Citizens Influence the Anti-Corruption Bureau's Work
In June, the newly elected Public Control Council at the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) has already begun vetting candidates, voting equally with bureau representatives and uncovering corruption risks.
In mid-June, Yuliia Behltsova, together with NAKO executive director Olena Tregub and 13 others, was elected to the Public Control Council (PCC) at the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU). An online vote took place on June 10, NABU published results on June 15, and on June 23 the new council met with NABU Director Semen Kryvonos.
The PCC's purpose is to oversee NABU's transparency, accountability, and openness to the public. This involves volunteer work such as participating in independent audits and competition commissions. Two commissions operate with PCC members.
Commission No. 1 (front office) vets candidates for detectives and managerial positions. It has 26 members, 3 from the PCC, meeting 2-3 times per week. Commission No. 2 (back office) reviews accounting, legal, and digital forensics specialists. It has 18 members, 3 from the PCC, meeting weekly.
The selection process takes 3-9 months, depending on the position. First, candidates undergo a basic eligibility check, then testing on legislation and general abilities, and an interview. Finally, the Internal Control Department (ICD) works with the best candidates, including polygraph testing.
ICD findings are often shocking. For example, a policeman from a small town likely took bribes and moonlighted as a taxi driver. Another candidate is wanted by the Territorial Recruitment Centers. One candidate failed to declare a gift worth 500,000 UAH due to a system glitch. Understated apartment and car values in declarations are common. Some candidates communicate with relatives in Russia or occupied territories, creating a risk of blackmail by the FSB.
The key task is to assess professional suitability and corruption risks. Recently, NABU faces a shortage of qualified personnel: salaries have not been indexed for five years, and businesses poach specialists, offering 3 times the salary or more. For context, state employees without experience earn less than 35,000 UAH per month, while a newly appointed detective earns about 70,000 UAH.
PCC members have equal voting rights with bureau representatives in the commissions—they can support or reject candidates, including for leadership positions. Previous council members engaged in heated debates with NABU representatives and often prevailed or reached mutual decisions. This is the 10th composition of the PCC. However, such public influence is not present in all state structures; for instance, in the nomination committee of Ukroboronprom, civil society remarks are only advisory.
