NABU Director Sytnyk conceals Vovk's tapes for two years – Lutsenko

Former Prosecutor General Yuriy Lutsenko says notorious tapes featuring judge of Kyivʼs District Administrative Court Pavlo Vovkʼs conversations are two years old already. But the National Anti-corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) has been keeping them on the shelf for the whole period.

"There is a well-known case opened by NABU on Kyivʼs District Administrative Court. When you read [materials on] those tapes – you get shocked," Lutsenko said during the Borkovsky & Valevska | Politics TV program. "There is one problem – I read them two years ago. What has NABU been doing with the tapes for the two years? The two years! Why have they become needed right now? And why – in fact, nothing has happened?"

Lutsenko also spoke about the anti-corruption bureauʼs ineffective work: "Zero sentences have been issued by NABU within five years. Zero! And, about 20 million in seized assets, if Iʼm not wrong. One Zaporizhia-based factory was seized and sold. Listen – you canʼt work like that." The former prosecutor general also commented on why foreign ambassadors had made statements in support of NABU Director Sytnyk: "Of course, we should pay attention to the ambassadorsʼ statements – this is very serious. Because, in fact, theyʼve created NABU, it is their brainchild and they are protecting it. And thatʼs good, but it has turned to be ineffective."

As reported earlier, on August 28, 2020, the Constitutional Court ruled the appointment of Sytnyk as NABU Director was unconstitutional. The relevant decision was made by the Constitutional Court after considering a motion submitted by 51 lawmakers. However, the NABU director himself refuses to resign. The Presidentʼs Office said it expected "a fair and transparent competition to select a new [NABU] chief."