Reform of the Asset Recovery Agency Completed, Implementation Underway, All Auctions Not Held by January 30 Suspended – Maksymenko

The acting head of the National Agency for Detection, Investigation, and Management of Assets Obtained from Corruption and Other Crimes (ARMA), Yaroslav Maksymenko, has officially declared that the reform process of the agency has been completed and that the implementation phase has begun. In a brief interview with Interfax-Ukraine, she emphasized that the primary goal of the reform is to strengthen the institutional capacity of ARMA.

"First of all, I want to note that the reform process of ARMA has been completed, and we are moving to the implementation stage. Currently, its institutional implementation is underway," Maksymenko highlighted. She also clarified that the legislation regulating the ARMA reform stipulates that all auctions that did not take place by January 30 are suspended. "All decisions are canceled, and all procedures start anew," she added.

To successfully implement the ARMA reform, it was necessary to develop a number of regulatory legal acts and submit them for government approval. "We have developed all the necessary regulatory legal acts and a new organizational structure. Our task today is to implement the new processes defined by these acts, to form a list of assets necessary for implementation, and the next step will be to implement the recommendations from the international audit," she stated.

Maksymenko also announced the establishment of a commission for managing complex assets, which includes representatives from ARMA, the business ombudsman, a representative from the Ministry of Justice, and a representative from the Ministry of Economy. "This commission will address issues that require special attention and expert evaluation," she noted.

The acting head of ARMA also discussed expectations regarding the module of the ProZorro system, which is set to ensure the technical implementation of auctions. "The state enterprise 'ProZorro' has completed the development of this module, the platforms are prepared, and now we will be approving the management program," Maksymenko informed.

The main objective of the ARMA reform, according to Maksymenko, is to enhance the institutional capacity of the agency, which, in turn, will allow for more effective management of assets obtained as a result of corruption crimes.

Maksymenko also mentioned some of the most high-profile cases that the agency is currently handling, including the sale of 460 hectares of land in the Borzhava meadow in the Transcarpathian region, assets of the 'IDS Ukraine' group, which produces the mineral waters 'Morshynska' and 'Myrgorodska', as well as the seized yacht Royal Romance in Croatia, owned by former MP Viktor Medvedchuk, who is accused of treason.

"Regarding the 'Borzhava' case, we received information from law enforcement agencies, including from the NABU and the State Bureau of Investigation (DBR), about signs of collusion in the auctions. The NABU provided information that coincides with data from our internal investigation regarding connections between the winners and participants in the criminal proceedings who are suspects or accused. When we received this information, we sent the relevant requests to the organizer, stating that under such conditions, it is simply impossible to use the results of the auctions that took place in January for the realization of this asset. We suggested to the organizer to conduct repeated auctions for these assets," she explained.

Regarding Medvedchuk's yacht, Royal Romance, Maksymenko noted that it is already ready for sale, but there is currently no information about potential buyers. "In fact, we have entered the process of realization," she stated.

Concerning the 'IDS Ukraine' case, Maksymenko mentioned that prior to the New Year, the auction for selecting a manager was blocked due to 12 identical technical complaints, but after the approval of the asset management program, 'Morshynska' will be put up for auction.