Ukrainian President Poroshenko orders polygraph test for Ukroboronprom leadership after corruption scandal
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has instructed the Cabinet of Ministers to have the leaders of the state-owned defense concern Ukroboronprom take polygraph tests, the president’s press service reported on Tuesday.
The decision was made by Poroshenko during a meeting with Oleksandr Turchynov, Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council, and his deputy Serhiy Kryvonos.
“We ask the government to ensure that a polygraph test is organized for all of the leaders of the state concern Ukroboronprom. Independently draft lists of the people who must take the test. I ask you to include the leaders of the defense industry complex state enterprises, the leaders of the companies and those who are responsible for financial activity,” Poroshenko said in a statement after the meeting.
The head of state accepted Kryvonos’s report proposing an audit of Ukroboronprom and the reformation of the defense sector. He ordered that any legal offenses that are discovered be handed over to the counter intelligence department of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) or to other law enforcement agencies.
Based on the NSDC vice-secretary’s recommendations, the president asked the government to secure immediate financing for an international audit of Ukroboronprom, and to make its decision before the end of April.
Poroshenko stressed that parliament should expedite its consideration of the bill to change the rules governing the state defense order and its transparency, a change that is backed by Ukraine’s international partners.
The Accounts Chamber will be responsible for the audit of Ukroboronprom, and NSDC Secretary Turchynov will monitor the matter and report the results to Poroshenko.
President Poroshenko first ordered the audit on 16 April, after a scandal erupted due to an independent journalist’s exposé of corruption in the state defense sector.
Ukrainian legislation stipulates that polygraph tests must be voluntary, and that the subjects must give their written consent. Any information gathered during the test can only be used in court as circumstantial evidence.