Watchdogs urge new prime minister to appoint economic bureau chief as reform is blocked
Over 60 Ukrainian civil society and business groups on July 18 urged newly appointed Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko to appoint anti-corruption investigator Oleksandr Tsyvinsky as head of Ukraine's Economic Security Bureau.
The call comes after the Cabinet of Ministers on July 8 dismissed Tsyvinsky's nomination by an independent selection commission, citing a letter from Ukraine's security services alleging ties to Russia through his father. Civic watchdogs argue that Tsyvinsky's candidacy was rejected because the President's Office sees him as too independent.
In a public appeal, the signatories warned Svyrydenko against repeating the missteps of her predecessor and urged her to honor the results of a transparent, EU-backed selection process.
"Appoint Oleksandr Tsyvinsky as head of the Economic Security Bureau and start a real reboot of the body that the whole country is waiting for," the statement read.
The selection commission rejected the demand to choose a new candidate and reaffirmed Tsyvinsky as the winner in a meeting streamed online on July 14. The nominee himself previously said that he has not maintained contact with his father for ten years.
Tsyvinsky, a veteran law enforcement official with two decades of experience — including nearly 10 years at the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine — had been successfully vetted by the Security Service of Ukraine during the selection process.
"All eyes are on this decision," the letter reads. "The effective, depoliticized, and professional work of this body is the key to creating a favorable investment climate, de-shadowing the economy, and strengthening trust in government institutions."
According to the law on the Economic Security Bureau, the government has 10 days to appoint the candidate put forward by the commission.
Legal experts from opposition lawmaker Yaroslav Zhelezniak's team — who helped draft the law — said there is no legal basis to reject a candidate who has passed all formal procedures.
Zhelezniak warned that the government's rejection, combined with the lack of pushback from international partners, could signal Kyiv's backsliding on reform.
Tsyvinsky's nomination was backed unanimously by the commission's three international members in June, despite opposition from all three Ukrainian representatives.
The Economic Security Bureau was founded in 2021 to investigate economic crimes, but has faced persistent allegations of corruption, political interference, and abuse of power.
Its reform is a key condition for continued support from Ukraine's international partners, including the European Union and International Monetary Fund.
