Ruslan Romanov, Head of the Prosecutors’ Council of Ukraine, said there is a targeted information campaign and attempts at manipulation surrounding the formation of the конкурс commission for selecting the leadership of the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAP). According to him, criticism of the appointment of certain members of the commission, including attorney Oleksii Shevchuk, is subjective and ignores legislative requirements.
He said this in an interview with the Judicial and Legal Gazette.
Romanov emphasized that Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko acted strictly within the law, and that any demands to cancel the appointments without legal grounds constitute direct interference with his independence.
According to the head of the Council, the selection procedure was as public as possible; however, civic activists and lawyers showed insufficient interest in participating in the competition. Within the установлен term, only four candidates submitted documents, including Oleksii Shevchuk. Romanov suggested that the low activity of the civic sector may be linked to fear of the need to declare assets and to assume real responsibility. He stressed that the law does not provide a mechanism for recalling a commission member due to media backlash, but only on clearly defined grounds such as a personal statement or health condition.
The scandal erupted after a number of leading civil society organizations (CPC, “AutoMaidan,” “DEJURE”) and media outlets called on the Prosecutor General to replace Oleksii Shevchuk. The Prosecutors’ Council warned that any незакон personnel changes would lead to lawsuits and would block the work of the commission for an indefinite period.
In response to questions from the public and the media about the process of forming the конкурс commission that selects candidates for administrative posts in the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAP), the Prosecutors’ Council of Ukraine and the Prosecutor General explained the sequence of events and the procedure for actions by prosecution bodies.
Spokesman for the National Association of Advocates of Ukraine Oleksii Shevchuk stated that he and his family had received direct threats to their life and health related to his appointment as a member of the commission for selecting prosecutors of the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAP).
