Zelensky administration wants to throw a wrench in appointment of a new chief for National Anticorruption Bureau, said Vitaliy Shabunin, Anti-corruption Action Centre leader in his blog for Ukrainska Pravda, arguing Ukrainian offiicals are doing so as they have no full control over the selection committee voting.

According to Shabunin, the government faces a strict deadline for establishment of such committee – it is February 15, and it was slated to do so on its Monday meeting but the issue was reportedly taken off  the meeting agenda for unknown reasons.

Zelensky is stalling the process, and by disregarding the deadline of the committee establishment  he wants to see the issue reviewed by Kyiv District Administrative court, argued the anticorruption watchdog group leader, argued Shabunin.

‘If no decision is made on the [committee establishment] issue on Monday, it means the Bankova (Zelensky administration) gave instructions to violate the law to undermine selection of NABU chief.’

Shabunin alleged that Zelensky administration is  in ‘hysterics’ as it gained no sway over international experts whose votes can prevail during the candidates’ selection.  Among those who will name a new NABU chief are reputed uncompromising anti-corruption experts  Pavilas Malakauskas, Karen A.Greenaway, and Drago Kos.

The anti-corruption activist reminded Zelensky his own words who said he would step down if he ever ‘breaks the law’.

‘By contrast, Poroshenko staged a fair competition for selecting a NABU chief, which led to appointment of Artem Sytnyk’, stressed Shabunin.