Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Legal Policy Denys Maslov © Vasyl Artyushenko, ZN.UA The efficiency of NABU investigations, including the Mindich matter, will hinge on the fresh leader of the Ministry of Justice.
Amid the political turbulence following the exposure of the “Mindich recordings,” the Justice Ministry, which oversees vital expert bodies, arises as a fundamentally significant component – the success of inquiries conducted by the National Anti-Corruption Bureau and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office rests upon it.
According to ZN.UA, the presidential administration is deliberating over three potential candidates for the Justice Minister position, which will open up following the parliamentary vote on the resignation of Herman Galushchenko, an individual entangled in the energy sector corruption controversy. The frontrunner is Denys Maslov, who presides over the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Legal Policy.
Maslov, a representative from the Servant of the People party, helms a crucial committee tasked with legal restructuring. He is involved in reforms within the judicial system, safeguarding investor interests, and streamlining land regulations. He is recognized as one of the faction's most prominent figures in matters pertaining to legal policy and maintains active engagement with global partners.
On July 22, Maslov cast his vote in favor of presidential bill No. 12414, which curtailed the autonomy of NABU and SAPO. Subsequently, in response to public outcry, he endorsed a presidential bill reinstating the independence of anti-graft institutions. The committee chairman did not offer public justifications for his contentious stance.
Within Bankova, Maslov is perceived as compliant, methodical, and thoroughly acquainted with the operations of the Justice Ministry.
Another contender is Vadym Halaichuk, a lawyer and MP representing the Servant of the People party.
His expertise encompasses constitutional, administrative, and electoral law, coupled with international academic experience. Within the Rada, Halaichuk is a member of the Committee on EU Integration and co-chairs the Parliamentary Committee on the Ukraine-EU Association.
Halaichuk gained recognition as the principal legal counsel for Volodymyr Zelensky's campaign organization in 2019, a crucial figure in the campaign's legal defense within courtrooms and election commissions. Within legal circles, he is regarded as a capable lawyer, albeit one who may not quite reach the stature required for the Justice Ministry leadership. Internally, officials view him as a trustworthy individual, adept at upholding legal standards within the ministry. His candidacy is still viewed as “second choice” – practical, but not a priority.
The third applicant is Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Taras Kachka. He is actively engaged in talks with the European Union and NATO, and is responsible for enacting European reforms and Ukraine's involvement in recovery initiatives. Bankova is weighing the possibility of merging the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Justice roles into one – similar to the arrangement with Olga Stefanishyna in the past.
However, according to ZN.UA, Kachka himself is opposed to such a configuration. His position entails frequent international travel, whereas the Justice Ministry demands a consistent presence in Ukraine and vigilant oversight of a vast array of activities.
ZN.UA's sources emphasize that selecting the ministry leader is of utmost importance in the context of the Mindich investigation. The Ministry of Justice bears the responsibility for coordinating and supervising expert organizations, including voice analysis. Presently, this domain is effectively controlled by Oleksandr Ruvin, the “king of precise conclusions”, who was ousted from his position as director of the KNIISE in 2020, but was later reinstated into the system by the advisor to the Minister of Justice, Herman Galushchenko, who was relieved of his duties following the scandal, and who also features on the “recording”.
It is worth recalling that NABU and SAPO uncovered a significant corruption scheme involving high-level influence exerted over strategic state-sector enterprises, notably Energoatom. The architects of the scheme obtained 10-15% of the company's contract values as illicit payments, with “kickbacks” being provided by counterparties imposed upon them by those involved. In total, the defendants managed to “launder” $100 million, legitimizing these funds via a dedicated office in central Kyiv. The name of the head of the Ministry of Justice, Herman Galushchenko, appears on the NABU tapes. Following being suspected in this case, Galushchenko tendered his resignation. His application will be reviewed at the next Verkhovna Rada session.
What steps should the president take, and what measures should the nation adopt? The responses can be found in the article “Operation Midas. The path to absolute power is as long as a dollar” by Inna Vedernikova, the editor of the domestic policy department.
