The full-scale war, which has been raging for three years now, poses challenges for the country, the Ukrainian people, and NABU. The main challenge is our collective resilience, constantly tested by enemies, fatigue, and despair. Our resilience is based on justice. We are strong as long as we believe in victory and each other. Therefore, the role of NABU at this historic moment for the country is crucial. It is the Bureau that must ensure justice and strengthen the state by protecting us all from such a shameful phenomenon as corruption.

WHAT IS THE MAIN OUTCOME OF THE FIRST HALF OF 2024?

It is simple: NABU is becoming increasingly effective. This is not only about the rise in the number of cases, charges, and searches. The prioritization of criminal proceedings, which we began last year, and the focus on corruption crimes being committed here and now are already yielding tangible results. The new approaches have made it possible to expose and bring to court those who were previously considered untouchable. These are primarily current ministers, MPs, and heads of state enterprises. Curbing corruption here and now saves billions of funds for all Ukrainians.

The progress in combating corruption is also recognized by our international partners. This is evidenced, in particular, by the start of negotiations on Ukraine's accession to the European Union. We perceive this both as recognition and as a challenge. Taking the first steps is little – we need to complete this journey.

The year 2024 will go down in NABU's history as a year of strengthening and institutional consolidation. A competitive recruitment process for new employees has begun, primarily for detectives and analysts. Selection boards are already working. Our task now is to select worthy candidates and pass on to them our corporate DNA, key principles, and expertise. This year, NABU's staff will grow by a hundred new employees, and this is only the first stage of the Bureau's personnel build-up.

Conducting the first-ever state audit of NABU's effectiveness is a pressing issue. We hope this process will finally be unblocked and the direct requirement of the law fulfilled. The audit should be based on professionalism, transparency, and openness. It will allow us to move from subjective or politicized assessments of NABU to the language of facts and figures, from speculation to a real tool for development and strengthening. We are ready for such an audit. To prove this we took the initiative to invite international experts to conduct an independent assessment of NABU's effectiveness at the end of last year.

I thank every member of the NABU team for their daily systematic and effective work. I thank my colleagues from SAPO. I thank our international partners for their assistance, and the public for their support and healthy criticism.

TOGETHER WE WILL PREVAIL!

By the first half of 2024, an entirely new chapter had begun for the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office. Following the introduction of the law on enhancing the SAPO's operational autonomy on 21 March, the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office is now operating as a standalone legal entity separately from the Office of the Prosecutor General.

Keeping the main activity of procedural guidance over NABU investigations, within six months of its new status, the SAPO has implemented the relevant internal modifications, launched personnel recruitment and initiated new selection process for the positions of prosecutors.

As a result of the close teamwork of the SAPO and the NABU during this period, 166 individuals were charged with suspicion, inter alia, the current Minister, MPs, the former Head of the State Migration Service of Ukraine, judges, heads of state institutions and other officials. 64 indictments against 131 individuals were handed over to the court in 6 months - the same number of indictments in 2020-2022 was handed over per entire year. Moreover, during this time, four claims for undue assets were initiated and another three from previous years were granted.

Close cooperation with international partners of Ukraine remains a priority. Over the first half of the year, SAPO officials held regular meetings with the Ambassadors of the G7 and the EU countries to Ukraine, Members of the US Congress, and EU Ministers under the Weimar Triangle framework.

This year, the SAPO is focused on legislative amendments that will increase the anti-corruption agencies' performance.

These include the ultimate abolition of the so-called Lozovyi amendments, obstructing the impunity of perpetrators involved in corruption crimes, the introduction of plea bargaining rules that will facilitate the disclosure of crime organizers, plus a wide range of procedural and functional capabilities that will allow the SAPO Head to launch proceedings against MPs and collaborate with foreign counterparts as part of international legal assistance.

Given the challenges of a full-scale ongoing war that is being waged by the Russian Federation, as well as Ukraine's full speed ahead to join the EU and NATO, the SAPO Team is fully dedicated to the important role it plays in combating high-profile corruption and stands strong to face any new challenges.

WITH DEEP RESPECT AND APPRECIATION TO THE UKRAINIAN ARMED FORCES!