Why Are Ukrainian Anti-Graft Activists Fighting Again?

17 July 2018 19:10

Tensions between anti—corruption bodies in Ukraine are on the rise again. On July 17, protesters gathered outside the building of the Specialized Anti—Corruption Prosecutor’s office to demand the resignation of its head, Nazar Kholodnytskyi. The action was organized by the Anti—Corruption Action Center, headed by Vitaliy Shabunin and Daria KalenIuk.

Tensions between anti-corruption bodies in Ukraine are on the rise again. On July 17, protesters gathered outside the building of the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s office to demand the resignation of its head, Nazar Kholodnytskyi. The action was organized by the Anti-Corruption Action Center, headed by Vitaliy Shabunin and Daria Kaleniuk.

Daria Kaleniuk (C) during the protest near the building of the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s office demanding the resignation of the SACP head, Nazar Kholodnytskyi, July 17, 2018. Photo credit: Dmytro Replianchuk / HROMADSKE

Kholodnytskyi is accused of interfering with the efforts of Ukraine’s National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and assisting those under investigation. A court date has been set for July 26 that will decide whether or not Kholodyntskyi will be relieved of his position. He has refused to resign voluntarily.

Head of the Anti-Corruption Action Center, Vitaliy Shabunin, was attacked with green antiseptic dye during the protest and pelted with cakes, July 17, 2018. Photo: Vyacheslav Ratynskyi / UNIAN

The controversy which sparked the protest surrounds Oleksandr Avakov, son of the Ukrainian Minister of the Interior. On July 11, the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor closed a noteworthy case on Avakov, who was accused of embezzling 14 million hryvnia ($520,640) of state funds for what was supposed to be spent towards new backpacks for the Ukrainian military.

Many of the accusations leveled against Kholodnytskyi center around conversations that were discovered after a period of wire-tapping orchestrated by the chairman of NABU, Artem Sytnyk. This revealed conversations in which Kholodnytskyi advises those under investigation by NABU as to how best to behave during interrogations, and were warned about upcoming searches and investigations.

Head of the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office, Nazar Kholodnytskyi, during a parliamentary meeting, Kyiv. April 4, 2018. Photo: Vyacheslav Ratynskyi / UNIAN

During the protest, tensions escalated with some counter protestors spilling green antiseptic dye on Shabunin. When journalists inquired as to their motivations, they did not provide any clear answers.