Ukrainian PM denies anti-corruption agency accusations that he illegally disclosed information about whistleblower

Ukrainian Prime Minister, Denys Shmyhal, never disclosed any information about a whistleblower in the Gambling and Lotteries Regulation Commission (CRGL), the PM’s press secretary Olha Kuryshko told NV on Jan. 11.

Kuryshko’s comments came in response to an administrative offence protocol issued by the National Agency on Corruption Prevention (NAZK), which accused Shmyhal of illegally disclosing information about the whistleblower gleaned during the course of his official duties.

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In September 2023, an appeal from a CRGL employee was received via a government portal in accordance with the Law on Citizens' Appeals. The appeal expressed dissatisfaction with the work of their supervisor at CRGL.

However, the applicant was informed that their complaint did not pertain to corruption and would  therefore be treated by the Cabinet Secretariat as a citizen's appeal.

CRGL head, Ivan Rudyi, the official whose actions were the subject of the complaint, was among the officials instructed to review the report. He subsequently initiated disciplinary proceedings against the whistleblower. The NAZK then issued a complaint against Rudyi, as under the law a whistleblower cannot be retaliated against.

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NAZK reported, in a Jan. 11 Facebook post, that it had also accused Prime Minister Shymhal of committing an administrative offense by allowing the disclosure of information about the whistleblower to Rudy.

Shymhal was invited to review the protocol on Jan. 10. However, he failed to appear on time or provide a reason for his absence, so NAZK sent the protocol to court. If found guilty, Shmyhal could face a fine, a one-year ban from holding certain positions, and have his information could be entered into the Unified State Register of Persons Who Committed Corruption or Corruption-Related Offenses.

The government called NAZK's accusations "another manipulation” coming at the end of Oleksandr Novikov's term as head of the agency.

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