Today, on July 4, Head of the Asset Recovery and Management Agency (ARMA), Olena Duma, took part in the roundtable discussion "EU-UA - overdue European integration changes in approaches to the management of seized assets" organised by the Yurydychna Praktyka Publishing. The discussion focused on the issues related to the management of seized property and the search for common solutions. The event was also attended by representatives of the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office, top Ukrainian law firms and attorneys.
According to the Head of ARMA, the Agency has undergone a major transformation over the past year and the implemented reforms are already yielding results.
"By introducing new procedures for the sale and management of seized assets, ARMA has got rid of the shameful practice and the trail that had been formed over the previous 8 years. It took almost six months to implement them and now we can already see the result," said Olena Duma..
At the same time, ARMA regularly faces problems that need to be addressed urgently. This also applies to the Agency's ability to improve the procedure for selecting managers of seized property.
"On the one hand, we cannot advertise assets and do not have the resources to do so. On the other hand, we need to promote information about the assets to attract the best managers who will bring maximum benefit to the state. We have an idea to modernise the website so that managers can fully familiarise themselves with the asset, and ARMA can interest the best managers in participating in the competitive selection," said Head of the National Agency.
She also emphasised the importance of preparing ARMA and law enforcement officers to seize property and introducing relevant amendments to the legislation. According to her, such practices bring Ukrainian anti-corruption policy closer to the best international standards.
"The pre-trial investigation authorities do not consult us when they initiate the transfer of a seized asset to ARMA. Until the court decision comes with a corresponding cover letter from the prosecutor, we have no authority to manage this asset. Currently, our main task is to work with law enforcement agencies to plan prior to the seizure of assets. As a result, we will receive court rulings that have no collisions," said Olena Duma.
Head of ARMA also shared other legislative initiatives of the Agency.
"At the same time, other areas of asset management also require legislative changes. These changes have already been developed by the Agency, MPs and members of the Committee on Anti-Corruption Policy and are set out in the relevant draft laws - № 11280-1, № 10069 and № 11009, which require immediate approval," she stressed.
Finally, Olena Duma thanked the participants for the fruitful discussion.
"I am grateful to the event organizers for the opportunity to discuss all these issues with the professional community to develop possible solutions. I am confident that when the heads of state bodies bring the agency's problematic issues up for discussion, their resolution will not take long. Such practices yield positive results for both state institutions and society, bringing public administration closer to the best international standards," concluded Olena Duma.
