EU on NABU’s investigation into "Energoatom": Fighting corruption is important condition for Ukraine’s membership

Corruption in the energy sector - European Commission on NABU investigation

Against the backdrop of the NABU investigation into the embezzlement scheme at "Energoatom", the European Commission stated that it does not comment on individual cases or anti-corruption proceedings in Ukraine.

This was reported by the press service of the European Commission to the publication "Suspilne", according to Censor.NET.

EU reaction

"The fight against corruption requires constant efforts to ensure a strong capacity to combat corruption and uphold the rule of law. It is necessary to protect the role of independent anti-corruption bodies, which are the cornerstone of the rule of law in Ukraine as a future EU member state," they stressed.

The EU also called on Ukraine to focus on cases with significant public impact and added that it continues to "closely monitor the rule of law situation and stands ready to provide support."

What preceded it?

Earlier, Censor.NET reported that NABU was conducting searches at Mindich's residence, who left Ukraine a few hours before the searches.
As reported, on Tuesday, 4 November, searches were conducted in one of the branches of the separate divisions of NNEGC "Energoatom" in connection with a corruption case.
The NABU is also conducting searches at the home of former Energy Minister Halushchenko and at "Energoatom".
The NABU and the SAPO announced a large-scale operation to expose corruption in the energy sector.
Current Minister of Energy Svitlana Hrynchuk appears on recordings obtained by NABU as part of its investigation into corruption in the energy sector.
Later, the National Anti-Corruption Bureau uncovered an office in central Kyiv belonging to the family of former MP and current Russian senator Andrii Derkach, where a "black ledger" was kept, cash was tracked, and money-laundering operations were organized.
On 11 November, NABU released recordings featuring Minister Halushchenko and Mindich.
The main figures in NABU’s leaked recordings from Operation "Midas" are "Rocket" (the so-called overseer of Energoatom) and "Tenor" (Energoatom’s executive director). According to media reports, they are Ihor Myroniuk and Dmytro Basov, respectively. In the conversation, they discussed mechanisms of pressuring contractors to extort money.
On the evening of November 11, the High Anti-Corruption Court considered a pretrial measure for Andrii Derkach’s former aide, Ihor Myroniuk.