“The customs overhaul is stalling,” - says the anti-corruption centre “Mezha”
The anti-corruption centre “Mezha” made this statement on its Facebook page.
According to the activists, Orest Mandziya’s approach to personnel policy indicates that the customs service’s ‘reset’ is stalling.
“MEZHA emphasises once again: the overhaul of the customs service must start not with middle management, but with top officials, particularly those whose integrity is in question. It is this level that makes key decisions, shapes the rules within the system and bears responsibility for how this system operates,” the post states.
Activists promise to closely monitor the progress of the State Customs Service’s overhaul and keep international partners informed.
Former SAPO prosecutor Stanislav Bronevitsky has already commented on the statement by the anti-corruption centre “Mezha”.
“Less than two months have passed since the high-profile competition for the post of customs chief, which was organised by a whole host of ‘public figures’, that the first serious criticism of the actions of the new head of customs, Orest Mandziy, has come like a bolt from the blue. Indeed, the anti-corruption centre ‘Meza’ announced with a heavy heart that the new head of customs does not wish to overhaul the customs service in the way that anti-corruption activists desire. “I fully share these concerns and will resolutely support the idea of reforming the customs service once again by holding a new competition for the post of head with the participation of international partners. Things have never been this good,” he wrote.
As a reminder, Orest Mandziy is a former detective with the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine. He was selected by international experts as one of the finalists in the competition for the post of Head of the State Customs Service, despite having the lowest score among the participants for practical tasks. On 10 April this year, he took charge of the State Customs Service.
Immediately after his appointment, Orest Mandziy received a salary of 375,427 UAH from the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine.
As previously reported by ThePublic, a conflict erupted in the Verkhovna Rada over the reform of the State Customs Service and the ‘reboot’ of the Economic Security Bureau.
