The German publication questioned the effectiveness of NABU

The German publication questioned the effectiveness of NABU

The German publication The Munich Eye has raised the issue of the effectiveness of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the expediency of its international funding.

According to journalists, over the past two years, the agency has received about 20 million dollars from foreign donors, and the total volume of international aid over the decade amounts to hundreds of millions. The USA has provided support to NABU within programs for combating corruption and reforming criminal justice.

In 2024, the bureau received 120 million hryvnias in international funds, and additional financing will continue in 2025. However, these amounts constitute only 2.5% of NABU’s budget, which is planned at 2.1 billion hryvnias for 2025. Nevertheless, The Munich Eye notes that doubts about the agency’s effectiveness are growing in Ukrainian society and among foreign partners.

The publication points to criticism directed at NABU related to the handling of certain investigations. In particular, there have been reports of data leaks in the "Great Construction" project schemes, allegedly allowing persons involved to evade responsibility. Attention was also drawn to the case of NABU detective Andriy Denysiuk, who was investigating corruption in the procurement of drones for the Armed Forces of Ukraine but left the bureau, citing obstacles from the management.

The publication cites investigative journalist Yuriy Nikolov’s opinion, who expressed skepticism about the agency’s work: "The bureau is over. My old jokes about how it would be better to kick everyone out and sell the premises are only partially jokes."

According to The Munich Eye, at the end of 2024, a large-scale inspection of NABU’s activities began in Ukraine, and at the beginning of 2025, the USA announced plans to review the Agency’s funding. The issue of the effectiveness of anti-corruption efforts in Ukraine may also become a topic of discussion among European taxpayers, the publication emphasizes.