The IMF may freeze funding to Ukraine by adding conditions on NABU’s independence and the appointment of the head of the ESB

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) may revise its financial assistance program for Ukraine ahead of schedule, adding provisions on the independence of the national anti-corruption bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the appointment of the head of the bureau of economic security (BES). The updated program would include some previous commitments as well as new ones, reflecting Ukraine’s changing realities.

This was reported by Forbes and Ukrainian MP Yaroslav Zheleznyak from the “Holos” party.

According to their information, the current program — under which Ukraine was expected to receive $4.8 billion — may be terminated early. A new permanent structural benchmark could be the preservation of NABU and the specialized anti-corruption prosecutor’s office (SAP) independence. Any violation of this condition could result in the IMF freezing its financial support at any time.

Media also note that other conditions include reforming the bureau of economic security, appointing its director, restarting the customs service, repealing the so-called “Lozovyi amendments” (changes to the criminal procedure code introduced in 2017 by MP Andriy Lozovyi, later partially repealed), and a corporate governance reform of state-owned enterprises. This last point involves transparent selection and appointment processes for members of supervisory boards and top managers of state-owned companies.

For reference, the Ukrainian cabinet has so far refused to appoint NABU officer Oleksandr Tsyvynsky — selected by international commission members — as the head of BES.