NABU denies embezzlement of UAH 16 mln during purchase of clothes for employees
The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) has refuted the embezzlement of over UAH 14 million during the purchase of clothes from a fictitious company.
"Reports alleging that the NABU bought clothes from a fictitious company involved in embezzlement of more than UAH 14 million during the purchase of backpacks for the needs of the Ukrainian Interior Ministry are untrue," the bureau said in a post on its Facebook page late on Friday, November 3.
The bureau confirmed the participation and victory in a tender of an entrepreneur who later became a suspect in the case on the purchase of backpacks.
"The NABU did not have and does not have any contract with the said limited liability company for the purchase of goods or services. The person representing the interests of this LLC in the episode with the purchase of backpacks did participate in two tenders for purchases announced by the NABU. In these tenders, the person acted as a private entrepreneur. The mentioned entrepreneur was declared the winner in two tenders - for the supply of 220 T-shirts for bulletproof vests and 42 sports suits. A contract was signed with him," the NABU added.
The report notes that the NABU purchases were conducted in the format of an open tender in the ProZorro public procurement system, in compliance with all legislative requirements.
As a result of the tenders conducted, the purchase prices were lower than expected. So the savings during the purchase of T-shirts amounted to 35% and sports costumes 38%. The total amount of savings was about UAH 280,000.
"We emphasize that at the time of the open tender for procurement (in February 2017) the private entrepreneur was not a suspect in the NABU's criminal proceedings, so there was no conflict of interest that could affect the results of the tender or the course of the pre-trial investigation," the bureau said.
The purchased goods were delivered to the NABU on time and in full. According to its characteristics, the goods fully corresponded to technical, qualitative and quantitative characteristics.
"Taking into account all the above, any attempts to find corrupt implications in the fact that one of the hundreds of winners of tenders held by the NABU turned out to be a person who later became a suspect in criminal proceedings looks ridiculous and manipulative. The national bureau is ready to provide materials that will confirm the transparency and competitiveness of the purchase," the report says.
