Head of Ukrainian State Fiscal Service detained on suspicion of corruption
On the evening of March 2nd, representatives of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) searched the headquarters of the State Fiscal Service (SFS). During the search, the head of the SFS, Roman Nasirov, was in the hospital (he was suddenly hospitalized the day before due to a hypertensive crisis, according to doctors). Therefore, a NABU employee went to the government clinical hospital, Feofaniya, where they found the official.
According to investigators, Nasirov is suspected of committing acts which led to a 2 billion hryvnia ($74 M) loss for the state. The Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office believes that Nasirov was making unreasonable decisions on the postponement of the rental fee for a mining site. This decision enabled People's Deputy, Oleksandr Onyshchenko, to implement a corruption scheme. (Onyshchenko fled from Ukraine. He is suspected of treason and is accused of organizing the theft of state gas).
Law enforcement officers were not allowed into Nasirov's ward for several hours. Later, the doctor reported that the condition of the patient was serious. After the detectives of the NABU and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAP) managed to get access to the patient and hand him the notification, Nasirov's condition had worsened dramatically. He was unconscious and taken to the intensive care unit as a myocardial infarction was suspected.
On the morning of March 3rd, the lawyer of the head of SFS, Oleksandr Miroshnik, said that his client's condition worsened and that he had undergone surgery. Later, however, the doctors refuted this information, saying that Nasirov did not have a heart attack, but there is a high possibility that he can have a heart attack. As a result, the NABU stated that Nasirov will be transferred to the pre-trial detention center, and preventive measures will be in place before the evening of March the 5th.
Later, Nasirov's second lawyer, Konstantin Doroshenko, said that his client is currently under anesthesia in the intensive care unit, therefore it is impossible to transfer him to the detention center.
The Chief Military Prosecutor of Ukraine, Anatolii Matios, visited Nasirov's hospital, however he did not explain the purpose of his visit.
On March 3rd the Cabinet of Ministers responded to Nasirov’s arrest. At a special meeting, the Government decided to suspend Nasirov as the head of SFS during the investigation. In the meantime his deputy, Myroslav Prodan, will be the acting head of SFS.
Roman Nasirov himself claims that his arrest is connected with attempts by the NABU to "rescue" the case of the fugitive deputy, Oleksandr Onyshchenko as he indicated in an interview with Obozrevatel. Nasirov said that according to the Tax Code, a taxpayer can get a reprieve from tax payments if he meets certain criteria. He also admitted that one of the largest tax deferrals was obtained by State Enterprise Ukrgazvydobuvannya (which is associated with Onyshchenko’s gas corruption schemes).
"Such tax deferrals were being issued in 2015-16, and continue to be issued in 2017. That's why I cannot understand why NABU is interested in just one case out of many? More likely they are trying to kill two birds: to make progress in the Onyshchenko case, which has not been going so well and to involve the SFS, which is not a popular organization in the country," he said.
Onyshchenko, who is a fugitive, called the detention of the head of SFS, Roman Nasirov, a "big failure by the NABU."
"The investigation will not be able to prove anything, because there was no money involved in my relations with Nasirov. At the same time, to detain and arrest a figure at this level is a blow to the NABU and the government in general," Onyshchenko said.
The President and the head of the Ukrainian government already commented on the detention of Nasirov. Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman believes that the investigation concerning the head of the State Fiscal Service, Roman Nasirov, is an indication that none of the senior officials are untouchable.
President Petro Poroshenko in commenting on the detention of Nasirov drew attention to the independence of the NABU. "I am convinced that the establishment of an independent anti-corruption structure only proves that it is truly independent ... The only thing that remains is bringing the case to trial," the President said. However very few experts believe that this will happen.
The President of the Fund for National Strategies, Taras Berezovets, explains that there is a risk that the charges gathered by the head of the SAP, Nazar Kholodnytsky, and his subordinates are not enough. Berezovets predicts that whatever the outcome of the case will be, Nasirov will not be allowed to return to his post.