The competition for the election of the head of the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO) may begin in December this year, and taking into account the possible lockdown, it will be completed by spring 2021, Acting Head of the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO) Maksym Hryschuk has said.

In an exclusive interview with the Interfax-Ukraine agency, Hryschuk said that the competition committee had already held a number of meetings. "When they decide on the regulations, they will announce the start of the competition. Perhaps it will be in December," he said.

Answering the question on whether he will take part in the competition, Hryschuk said: "I still want to keep an intrigue. The competition has not yet been officially announced, so it is unethical to talk about participation in it."

Speaking about when we can expect a new head of the SAPO, elected at the competition, he said that it takes time to submit documents and conduct three stages of the competition, and the situation with the epidemic should also be taken into account.

"I think it will be around January-February. And if a lockdown is introduced now, it may still drag on," he said.

The full text of the interview will be published on the Interfax-Ukraine website in the public domain.