The IMF demands the closure of tax schemes, and the ESBU has not yet presented an action plan.
The IMF mission has begun work in Kyiv to conduct official negotiations regarding a new cooperation program with Ukraine. This was reported by Roxolana Pidlasa, Chairwoman of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Budget.
«Discussed the details of the 2026 Budget with the head of the mission, Gavin Grey, and his colleagues.
The total program volume that the IMF proposes to Ukraine is about $8 billion over 4 years. This is less than we expected and less than we need, but the IMF program is a key to obtaining funding from other partners, including a reparations loan,» Pidlasa wrote.
The IMF Board's decision to launch the program is expected in January, with the first disbursement planned for the same period. Prior action — the traditional approval of the 2026 budget within the agreed deficit with the IMF.
«Regarding structural benchmarks — the IMF is most interested in increasing the revenues of the state budget, particularly through closing tax evasion schemes,» emphasized the head of the committee.
The investigation of cases under Article 212 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine — tax evasion — falls under the jurisdiction of the Bureau of Economic Security, which on August 6 received a new director — Oleksandr Tsivinskyi, elected by a commission with the participation of international experts.
Former NABU employee Tsivinskyi has repeatedly stated that reimbursement of funds to the state budget is an incorrect criterion for evaluating the effectiveness of the Bureaus of Economic Security, and assured that the economic effect of the updated Bureau's work will be reflected through overall growth in tax revenues.
However, the leadership of the Bureaus of Economic Security has not yet publicly presented a plan for updating the Bureau, changes in work approaches, and evaluation criteria. Statistical data on increased revenues to the state budget as a result of the ESBU's activities have also not been disclosed.
