IMF demands transparency: Ukraine is obliged to conduct an external audit of NABU

Ukraine has committed to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to conduct the first external audit of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) by the end of September 2024. The audit will be conducted by independent experts appointed by international partners.

According to the IMF, this audit will contribute to an objective and official assessment of the NABU's work since its establishment in 2015. An important goal is to identify opportunities for improvement and strengthening of NABU's accountability, especially in view of the law on increasing the number of employees from 700 to 1000.

Experts with international experience will conduct an external audit of the NABU's performance, and a report will be drawn up based on its results.

It is stated that the report will be completed and made public after a year of work of the new head, who will be appointed in March 2023.

The memorandum also states that a plan will be developed to implement the law expanding NABU's wiretapping powers to ensure that the necessary resources and equipment are available after martial law is lifted.

The text of the document also addresses the reform of the forensic system for law enforcement agencies, which provides NABU with access to independent and qualified forensic experts. This will facilitate effective investigations, particularly in complex cases of corruption schemes.