Archer: three reasons why business in Ukraine falls victim to the system
Archer, a manufacturer of thermal imagers for the front line, has been under investigation for more than two years.
Two years of blocked accounts.
Two years of disrupted deliveries.
Two years of loss of reputation.
And the result? Zero.
Why did this happen? There are three reasons.
- Automatic registration of criminal proceedings
Today, any information is enough – and the case is already in the URPTI. This has become the main instrument of pressure.
The draft law No. 12439, which introduces the concept of “sufficient data,” is needed. But it is not enough. There must also be the participation of the prosecutor at the start. Otherwise, chaos and manipulation will remain. - Extremes in the investigation timeframe.
Our CPC has been “shuffling” for years:
– At first, it was indefinite, and cases could drag on forever;
– then “Lozovyi’s amendments” and mass closure of proceedings for formal reasons;
– then the indefinite term was returned again.
Two extremes instead of balance. In the civilized world, there are balanced models. We have the Archer case: years of pressure without any result.
- Complete impunity for law enforcement.
The Archer case was investigated for over two years. And what do we hear from the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office?
Their official comment: “no one has been notified of suspicion”.
And this is presented as a normal situation. In fact, the SAPO boasts that the NABU has been chasing business for two years and has not proved anything. No criticism, no responsibility.
This is massive impunity: businesses pay with their reputation, money and broken contracts, while law enforcement officers get an indulgence.
Archer is not an exception, it is the rule.
In a country where any information automatically becomes a criminal case, where the investigation timeframe ranges from “eternity” to absurd formalities, and law enforcement officers are not even held accountable for this, business will always be a victim.
And which investor will believe in a country where law enforcement officers are unpunished and businesses are always under pressure?
