“I am not satisfied with the results of the BEB’s work,” said Getmantsev

8 April 18:49

The Economic Security Bureau has proven ineffective. In the near future, lawmakers will review the agency’s 2025 annual report.

This was stated in an interview with the YouTube channel "Komersant Ukrainian" by Danylo Getmantsev, a member of the Ukrainian Parliament and chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Finance, Tax, and Customs Policy.

“The fact that I am not satisfied with the results of their work is a fact. But it is my job to demand results from them. And it is my job to assess and acknowledge their incompetence. Unfortunately, we have what we have,” he said.

According to the MP, the parliamentary committee has already received the BEB’s report for 2025 and plans to review it in April or May, after which official conclusions will be drawn.

“I think it’s time to draw conclusions and make assessments,” the lawmaker emphasized.

Getmantsev acknowledged that despite individual cases, there is no systemic effectiveness in the BEB’s work.

“We don’t see any effectiveness, except perhaps in one or two cases, but the previous BEB also had these cases… We don’t see effective work, unfortunately,” he added.

He also emphasized that the situation is personally sensitive for him, since he was the one who initiated the BEB reform.

“This is my reform of the Economic Security Bureau. I was the one who initiated the dissolution of the tax police. I was the one who then initiated the reboot of the Economic Security Bureau… And I would like—this is my dream—for it to finally succeed,” says Getmantsev.

At the same time, the deputy cited specific figures which, according to him, indicate the BEB’s ineffective work.

“If over the past 25 years the illegal tobacco market grew from 12% to 18%, and in 2024 it decreased from 25% to 12%, does that mean the old BEB worked better? I won’t lie to people and say we have results,” he added.

Separately, he criticized the approach to evaluating the agency’s work through public presentations.

“I won’t pretend that Tsivinsky (Oleksandr Tsivinsky, head of the BEB—ed.) and his new team are doing anything based on their press conferences and presentations. They shouldn’t try to be like Mykhailo Fedorov. They shouldn’t replace reality with presentations,” he believes.

In summary, Getmantsev directly called the BEB’s work ineffective and urged that decisions not be delayed.

“I believe they are ineffective. For now,” he emphasized.

As a reminder, in mid-January, Getmantsev stated that it would take another six months to restructure the BEB. Responding to a follow-up question about when the restructuring of the agency would be completed and whom the deputy sees as the head of the BEB, Getmantsev stated:

“I don’t see anyone as the head, because there is a head. I see him. The fact that I’m not satisfied with the results of his work is a fact. But it’s my job to demand results from him. And it’s my job to evaluate and acknowledge the ineffectiveness. Unfortunately, we have what we have. By the way, no one is giving him another six months. My statement may have been made six months ago. I think it’s time to draw conclusions, make assessments, and give evaluations,” the politician stated.