Lack of funds and legislative authority: The Accounting Chamber has released an audit of the State Bureau of Investigation
12 June 16:09
The Accounting Chamber has completed an audit of the State Bureau of Investigations and found that the agency’s actual funding covers only about 75% of its justified needs. This limits the Bureau’s ability to develop and strengthen its material and technical base, according to the auditors’ report, as reported by
The Accounting Chamber approved the relevant report on June 9. The audit covered the period from January 1, 2024, to April 30, 2026, and focused on assessing the SBI’s institutional capacity, management system, staffing, funding, and digital infrastructure.
The Accounting Chamber noted that the reform of the DBR, launched in 2020–2021 with the support of the Council of Europe, is in its final stages, and overall, the institutional framework of the law enforcement agency meets the requirements of the law and contemporary challenges.
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Among the positive changes, the auditors noted the removal of the SBI from the central executive bodies, the introduction of a competitive selection process for the director with the participation of international partners, the creation of a modern IT infrastructure, and the implementation of a performance evaluation system for employees.
At the same time, Yelyzaveta Pushko-Tsybulyak, a member of the Accounting Chamber, emphasized that the audit revealed a number of issues requiring legislative regulation.
“During the audit, certain unresolved issues and inconsistencies were identified, caused primarily by the incompleteness, imperfection, and inconsistency of certain regulatory acts governing the SBI’s activities and affecting the organization of key processes,” she noted.
The auditors paid particular attention to the Bureau’s financial support.
“Actual funding for the SBI covers approximately 75% of the justified need, which limits the implementation of certain measures to develop and strengthen the Bureau’s material and technical base,” the report states.
In addition to financial issues, the Accounting Chamber pointed out the need to address legislative gaps regarding the jurisdiction of certain criminal offenses, the activities of the SBI’s expert institution, the procedure for appointing deputy directors, the disciplinary liability of employees, and the staff training system.
Based on the audit findings, the Accounting Chamber recommended that the State Bureau of Investigation and government authorities:
- improve legislation,
- strengthen the Bureau’s institutional independence,
- establish its own expert institution,
- expand access to state information systems, and
- ensure adequate funding in line with the agency’s actual needs.
The recommendations also include developing digital infrastructure, specifically gaining direct access to the National Police’s “Custody Records” subsystem, as well as aligning staffing levels and organizational structure with the actual workload.
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The SBI itself gave a positive assessment of the audit results and stated that it has already begun implementing some of the recommendations. In particular, the Bureau reported the completion of a comprehensive staff evaluation and certification system, the updating of mechanisms for vetting employees for integrity, and measures to increase the transparency of the agency’s work.
The Accounting Chamber’s report will be sent to the Verkhovna Rada, the relevant parliamentary committee, the Cabinet of Ministers, and the State Bureau of Investigations for further consideration.
As reported by "Komersant Ukrainian", in January, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced a large-scale overhaul of the government, specifically the security sector, defense, and law enforcement agencies. In his speech on this matter, the head of state paid special attention to the new law on the State Bureau of Investigations.
“I have instructed that proposals for reforming the State Bureau of Investigations be prepared and promptly submitted to the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine for consideration,” Zelenskyy stated at the time.
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