Orest Mandziy on customs reform: It must be an evolutionary overhaul of the system
Manziy made these comments in an interview with Forbes.ua.
“This should be an evolutionary cleansing of the system without causing it to collapse,” he said.
Gradually, people with anti-corruption and law enforcement experience will be integrated into the customs service, Mandziy explained.
They will be appointed to middle-management positions, rather than leadership roles. The head of the service is convinced that this will provide an opportunity to study the customs system from within and subsequently initiate its overhaul.
Mandziy himself joined the State Customs Service from the National Anti-Corruption Bureau. The other finalist in the competition for the post of head of the service, which Mandziy won, was Ruslan Damentsov – also a detective with the NABU. In his new role, Mandziy has appointed Damentsov as his deputy – he is responsible for initiating the staff appraisal process.
As for the management team, the head of the State Customs Service noted that the contract of one of his deputies – Vladislav Suvorov – which expired in May, has already been extended. The contracts of two other deputies – Serhiy Zvyagintsev and Oleg Nikolaychuk – are due to expire in the autumn.
“By then, I hope, the re-evaluation process will have begun and the relevant personnel decisions will have been taken,” said Mandziy.
Reform of the State Customs Service: what is known
As a reminder, on 14 May 2026, the head of the State Customs Service signed an order to launch the certification process for customs officials. State Customs Service employees will have to confirm their qualifications in order to continue working. Anyone who refuses to undergo certification will be dismissed.
The certification required by law is a mandatory one-off procedure involving a comprehensive assessment of each customs officer to ensure they meet the requirements of their post and comply with European-style anti-corruption standards as part of the reform of the customs authorities.
The reform of the State Customs Service of Ukraine is estimated to cost approximately €1.2 billion. Funding is expected to come from both the state budget and international donor assistance. The EU is currently the key donor.
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