The Economic Security Bureau is facing systemic problems and a staffing crisis – a report by the Verkhovna Rada’s Temporary Investigation Commission
In its final report, the Verkhovna Rada’s Temporary Investigative Commission on the Investigation of Possible Corruption within Law Enforcement Agencies concluded that the activities of the Economic Security Bureau of Ukraine show only partial positive progress, but the agency’s overall effectiveness remains insufficient. The commission identified key problems including a shortage of staff, a weak internal control system, superficial financial monitoring of staff, and insufficient coordination with other state bodies, reports ‘Kommersant Ukrainian’, citing the text of the commission’s report.
According to the TIC’s findings, despite an increase in the number of criminal cases referred to court, the ESBU has failed to establish an effective internal security system.
“Despite the increase in the number of criminal cases referred to court, the internal security system of the Economic Security Bureau of Ukraine does not ensure that identified violations are properly brought to the level of criminal liability,” the report states.
The document notes that a significant proportion of internal investigations resulted in disciplinary sanctions or the dismissal of staff; however, only a small number of the identified violations were followed up with formal proceedings, such as the serving of notices of suspicion or the opening of criminal proceedings.
In the opinion of the parliamentary commission, this indicates the purely formal nature of certain response mechanisms and the insufficient effectiveness of the anti-corruption infrastructure within the ESBU.
Separately, the TIC drew attention to the staffing situation within the agency.
The commission also criticised the financial control system relating to ESBU staff. The report emphasises that it ‘effectively operates in a purely formal manner’ and fails to ensure the proper detection and punishment of corruption offences.
Among the problems identified by the TSK are the minimal number of full checks on declarations, the lack of consistent administrative practice, and the weak response of the law enforcement system to detected violations.
According to the report’s authors, this indicates the state’s low institutional capacity to ensure effective anti-corruption oversight in the economic security sector.
In its final conclusions, the TIC warns that unless systemic shortcomings are addressed without delay, the Bureau’s future operations are at risk.
“Without the immediate rectification of the systemic shortcomings identified, particularly in the areas of personnel policy, internal security, financial control, digitalisation, inter-agency cooperation and regulatory framework, there is a real threat of the Ukrainian Economic Security Bureau losing its institutional capacity as a key body in the field of the state’s economic security,” states the TIC’s final report.
