Photo from UNIAN
Ukraine's Agency for Asset Recovery, which is headed by Olena Tyshchenko, does not meet the requirements of the European Union, and the EU Commissioner Johannes Hahn and representatives of the EU External Action Service will discuss the issue with the Ukrainian government during their visit to Kyiv, Dirk Schuebel, Head of Division for bilateral relations with the Eastern Partnership countries in the European External Action Service, said in an interview with Ukrainian online newspaper Europeiska Pravda.
Schuebel emphasized that establishment of such agency, as well as other bodies engaged in the fight against corruption, is one of the key requirements for the visa-free regime between Ukraine and the EU.
At this, Schuebel stressed a need for establishing a fundamentally different agency for assets recovery based on the European model. He added the issue will be raised at the meetings with the Ukrainian leadership.
Key challenges, according to Schuebel, relate to the fight against corruption, which necessitates the establishment of new anti-corruption agencies, particularly, in the Prosecutor General's Office.
When asked to comment on the efficiency of the Asset Recovery Office that has already been set up at the Interior Ministry and headed by Olena Tyshchenko, Schuebel said it does not meet the EU requirements in this field.
Schuebel also noted that ending the conflict in Donbas has not been put forward as a mandatory requirement for a visa-free dialogue between Ukraine and the EU.
As reported earlier, in July Ukrainian Interior Ministry set up department to claim back illegally acquired assets and appointed Olena Tyshchenko director of the department.
According to media reports, she and her ex-husband were involved in several scandals, particularly on suspicion of selling oil at reduced prices that was confiscated from a notorious Ukrainian businessman Kurchenko.
In addition, Tyshchenko is allegedly involved in a multi-billion dollar fraud case of the Kazakh businessman Mukhtar Ablyazov that is currently under consideration of the UK court.