They need critical changes: NABU on procurement procedure during martial law

The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) has expressed its concern about corruption risks associated with the procurement procedure during martial law. The bureau published a statement to this effect recently.

This initiative was aimed at eliminating a number of risks, in particular:

Unreasonable overpricing of goods and services due to the lack of regulatory mechanisms for determining the expected cost of procurement.

Possibility to make purchases without open tenders, which can create conditions for corruption schemes.

Lack of responsibility of procuring entities for verifying information about contractors, which creates additional risks for the state budget.

Insufficient responsibility of contractors for providing reliable information about themselves, which may facilitate abuse of the procurement system.

No restrictions on the prolongation of contracts concluded during the period of urgent procurement needs, which may cause insufficient efficiency of contract performance.

Prepayment (advance payment) does not guarantee the fulfillment of contracts by contractors, which leads to financial risks.

In its statement, the NABU indicated that it had sent a letter of supervision on these risks to the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine and provided relevant recommendations. Under the current legislation, public authorities must consider these recommendations within 30 days and take appropriate measures to eliminate corruption risks in martial law procurement.

Watching the situation develop, civil society organizations and experts emphasize the importance of the government's quick response to these recommendations and effective implementation of the necessary changes to the procurement procedure. Ensuring transparency and accountability in this area is extremely important to ensure the efficient use of public funds and prevent corrupt practices.