Conflict over the post of BES head: new details about Tsyvinsky emerge
14 July 15:05
The Commission for the Selection of the Head of the Bureau of Economic Security of Ukraine rejected the request of the Cabinet of Ministers to reconsider the results of the competition for the candidacy of Oleksandr Tsyvinsky and returned his letter to the government without changes. This was reported on July 14 by MP Yaroslav Zheleznyak on his Telegram channel, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports.
The head of the competition commission Laura Stefan emphasized the following during the meeting:
“It is impossible to review the results of the competition. All candidates have passed special checks, and the commission has no authority to change anything,” Stefan said.
In turn, all members of the commission expressed their solidarity in supporting the chairman’s decision. The result was the official completion of the commission’s work: they returned the appeal to the government without further consideration.
Mr. Zheleznyak also noted that the Cabinet’s decision was based on a letter from the Security Service of Ukraine with a special restriction on access. It contains information about the alleged Russian citizenship of the relatives of three candidates. There is a possibility that it also referred to Tsyvinsky’s relatives. Therefore, the commission questioned whether his candidacy complied with the standards of the competition documentation and the law on civil service.
In his turn, Pavlo Tsyvinsky appealed to the Cabinet of Ministers, the competition commission itself, and the Security Service of Ukraine to publish the security assessment that became the basis for rejecting his candidacy for the position. He assured that it “does not comply with the law” and demanded arguments as to whether his candidacy met the selection criteria.
“For me, it is a matter of principle to find out what kind of ‘security assessments’ were the basis for the decision, given that I have a security clearance,” Tsyvinsky said.
He continues to insist that the Cabinet’s decision does not comply with the law. Tsyvinsky wants to see an official decision published or confirmation of the published information by persons with the appropriate authority.
He appealed to the Cabinet of Ministers, the competition commission and the Security Service of Ukraine to obtain all the information, including that related to the security assessment. After receiving the relevant data, I will communicate in detail,” Tsyvinsky promised.
For their part, the Cabinet of Ministers, according to Zhelezniak, did not provide any additional facts other than a basic reference to the SBU letter. This raises questions not only about legal aspects, but also about transparency and institutional responsibility of government procedures.
Read also: Tsyvynskyi reacts to the Cabinet’s refusal to appoint him as BES head: the fight continues
Economic experts continue to monitor the process of selecting the BES head, as he will play a key role in the fight against financial crimes, tax evasion and money laundering.
If the issue of the special inspection remains unresolved, it could undermine the confidence of international partners in Ukraine’s anti-corruption potential. It is especially important to get a positive signal before the next tranches of donor and credit assistance.
Experts agree that the warnings set out in the SBU’s letter may theoretically confirm the risks associated with having relatives with dual citizenship, but without hard evidence, this calls into question the effectiveness of procedural standards.
As a result, the selection committee closed the topic of reviewing security clearance assessments, and the government was left without a formal response to its comments. It will soon be known whether the Cabinet of Ministers or another responsible institutional body will find a solution to this issue. The current situation demonstrates the difficulty of balancing security due diligence with procedural safeguards, which is crucial for the country’s economic stability.
Why a new person is being sought for the position of BES director
The Bureau of Economic Security (BES) wants to appoint a new director for several key reasons:
1. Failure of the BES reform and low efficiency. The previous head of the BES, Vadym Melnyk, has been in charge of the agency since its creation in 2021. For several years, the BES has been criticized for its inefficient work, low investigation rates, and lack of trust from business, international partners, and the law enforcement community. Under his leadership, the bureau failed to implement the announced reform – the elimination of duplication with the SBU, tax police and the SBI.
2. Requirements of international partners. The replacement of the BES head was part of Ukraine’s commitments to the IMF, EU and G7 to upgrade its anti-corruption and financial security institutions. According to the memorandums with the IMF, Ukraine committed to hold a transparent competition for the position of the BES head with the participation of international experts. This is one of the conditions for receiving macro-financial assistance.
3. Political pressure and attempts to interfere with the competition. In mid-2023, Melnyk was fired, and since then, the BES has been headed by an acting head. In 2024-2025, the competition for a new head was repeatedly disrupted due to political conflicts, interference from the President’s Office, and attempts to discredit some candidates.
4. The need for real independence of the BES: Civil society organizations, including the AntAC, and business associations have repeatedly emphasized that the BES should become an independent body, not a political tool. The new head should guarantee depoliticization, focus on analytical activities, and restoration of trust on the part of business and international partners.
Therefore, the appointment of a new BES head is an attempt to restart the body that was supposed to be the key to fighting economic crimes but has not yet met expectations.
Filling the vacant position of the BES Head: how it all started
In June 2025, the competition commission completed all stages of the selection process, including interviews and special checks of candidates for the position of BES chairman. There were 16 applicants, two of whom made it to the final, and on June 24, the international part of the commission unanimously chose NABU detective Oleksandr Tsyvinsky as the winner.
However, on July 7, the Cabinet of Ministers refused to approve his candidacy, citing security risks identified by the SBU. In particular, they referred to Tsyvynskyi’s relatives with Russian citizenship, including his father. The Cabinet of Ministers instructed the commission to submit two other candidates who met all applicable security criteria.
Currently, Tsyvynskyi’s status as the winner of the competition to fill the vacant position of the BES head remains valid. The Commission even noted that the relevant authorities knew about his father’s Russian passport back in 2023. But this nuance cannot be a reason to disqualify the winner.
At the same time, economic experts, business representatives, and international partners are concerned that the disruption of the appointment of the BES head may complicate the fulfillment of Ukraine’s obligations to the IMF, EU, and G7 regarding anti-corruption reforms and the independence of the body.
What is known about Oleksandr Tsyvinsky
Oleksandr Tsyvynskyi is a detective at the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) with many years of experience in law enforcement. He was born in Lviv region, received a law degree, and began his career in 2003 in the Ministry of Internal Affairs, where he worked as an investigator.
In 2015, Tsyvynskyi joined the NABU, becoming one of the first 70 detectives of the newly created anti-corruption agency. Later, he became the head of one of the detective units – the third unit of the second main department. During his tenure at NABU, Tsyvynskyi was involved in a number of high-profile anti-corruption investigations, including the cases against former MP Serhii Pashynskyi and Operation Clean City, which involved abuses in the property management system in the capital.
His team secured bail for record amounts for the NABU – in particular, in the Pashynskyi case, it reached UAH 270 million. All the investigations led by Tsyvynskyi concerned large-scale misappropriation of budget funds, tax evasion and corruption schemes at the highest levels of government.
Colleagues describe Tsyvynskyi as a professional who is respected by Ukraine’s international partners.
At the same time, Tsyvynskyi does not publicize his private life, avoids public appearances and rarely comments on investigations in the media. This has given him the reputation of a “quiet specialist” who is focused on results rather than publicity.
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