The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has once again declined to appoint Oleksandr Tsyvinsky as director of the Bureau of Economic Security (BEB), MP Yaroslav Zheleznyak said.

30 July marks the final day before Ukraine misses an International Monetary Fund benchmark regarding the BEB appointment.

Under the IMF’s Extended Fund Facility (EFF) program review, a new BEB director should have been selected by the end of February 2025. Ukraine failed to meet this deadline as the competition process was only in its initial stages at that time. The IMF then moved the benchmark deadline to July 2025.

Last week, the BEB Head Selection Commission resubmitted documents to the Cabinet regarding the appointment of competition winner Oleksandr Tsyvinsky. International partners’ commission member Donatas Malaskevičius told Forbes Ukraine that the Selection Commission rejected the government’s proposal to hold a repeat vote and insists on appointing their chosen candidate.

“The commission returned the documents because there are no reasons or legal grounds for submitting another candidacy,” Malaskevičius explained.

Prior to this, more than 50 civil society organizations published an appeal to the new Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko, calling on them not to repeat the mistakes of the previous government and appoint Tsyvinsky as BEB director.

Background of the controversy

On 25 June, Oleksandr Tsyvinsky, a current NABU detective who previously led a special operation exposing “toilet schemes” in Kyiv, won the competition for BEB director and received unanimous support from international commission members, whose vote is decisive.

However, during the session it became known that Tsyvinsky has relatives with Russian citizenship. Tsyvinsky himself explained that his father holds a Russian passport, but he has not communicated with him for several years.

Subsequently, the government received a submission for Tsyvinsky’s appointment as BEB director, but the Cabinet rejected his candidacy. This decision was made after reviewing additional materials provided by the Security Service of Ukraine, among others, which “concern national security issues and contain relevant security assessments.”

In response, the Ukrainian business community expressed concern about the government’s decision not to appoint the BEB director and called on the Cabinet to reconsider its decision.

Tsyvinsky himself said that it is “a matter of principle for him to clarify what specific ‘security assessments’ became the basis for the corresponding decision,” given that he has state secret clearance.

Why does Ukraine risk losing IMF funding?

The Bureau of Economic Security (BEB) in Ukraine is responsible for combating economic crimes such as fraud, tax evasion, smuggling, and money laundering. It acts as both an analytical and law enforcement body to protect the economic interests of the state and improve the business environment.

The IMF (International Monetary Fund) and Ukraine’s Bureau of Economic Security (BEB) are connected through Ukraine’s IMF-supported reform programs, particularly the Extended Fund Facility (EFF). 

The IMF provides Ukraine with financial help but only if Ukraine commits to reforms like fighting corruption and economic crimes, which the Bureau of Economic Security (BEB) enforces. Essentially, the IMF funds support Ukraine’s economy in exchange for stronger institutions like the BEB to make sure the economy is safer and more transparent. This teamwork helps Ukraine keep receiving money from the IMF and improves the country’s financial health.

If the government does not appoint Tsyvinsky as BEB director after the second deadline, it will send a red signal for further support for Ukraine.

The risk of disrupting the BEB competition could cost Ukraine very dearly – not only the loss of billions due to the failure to fulfill the IMF’s structural beacon, but also the loss of further trust and financial support from international donors.

The Ukrainian government resists appointing the head of one of its anti-corruption agencies, delaying the start of its work. Meanwhile, the EU says this setback in the Economic Security Bureau (BEB) running endangers Kyiv’s credibility and $3 billion in support, European Pravda reports. 

European Commission demands: appoint Tsyvinsky according to the law

The European Commission calls on the Ukrainian government to immediately appoint the head of the agency, which has already been chosen in accordance with current legislation and transparent procedures.

Oleksandr Tsyvinsky is a National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) detective who won the BEB director position in June 2025. The competition involved international experts. The BEB reform is one condition for Ukraine to receive $3 billion in international aid.

Tsyvinsky leads one of NABU’s elite detective units and became known for his participation in the “Clean City” investigation. His appointment was to symbolize the restoration of trust in anti-corruption bodies.

However, on 7 July, the Ukrainian government refused to approve him, citing “security concerns” as assessed by the Security Service. In response, Tsyvinsky stated that the government’s decision “does not comply with the law.”

Confrontation with NABU: a new round of pressure

The government’s refusal to approve the competition winner marked another escalation in tense relations between Ukrainian authorities and NABU, which sharply intensified this summer.

On 22 July, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed the controversial bill, which curtails the NABU’s independence, as well as the liberty of the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO), by requiring their key decisions to be coordinated with the Prosecutor General’s Office. 

19 Ukrainian protest signs that are pure art (and also completely unhinged)

The law led to mass civil society protests and criticism from international partners as it contradicts Ukraine’s commitments to the EU and the US on anti-corruption reforms. 

The EU has already warned diplomatically that undermining NABU’s independence will have serious consequences for further EU integration and aid volumes. The situation around BEB only deepens the trust crisis.

Business and partners demand appointment

The business community, over 124 associations and 27,000 companies, published an open letter urging the authorities not to delay appointing the competition winner.

“Kyiv must promptly appoint the BEB director according to the law on BEB reform and current procedures,” says a European Commission spokesperson.

Appointing Tsyvinsky is a key condition for advancing the BEB reform and preserving the institution’s independence. The EU enlargement report for 2024 emphasized that the competition must be transparent, based on personal merits and integrity.

The Selection Commission has sent Tsyvinsky’s documents to the Cabinet for the second time, and Europeans are closely watching whether the government will fulfill its commitments.