SBU materials helped to serve ex-head of the Ministry of Infrastructure suspicion notice of multimillion losses caused to the budget through harbour fees reduction.

During the pre-trial investigation, operatives of the special service established that in December 2017, the Ministry of Infrastructure issued an order, which put into effect a reduction factor to the rates of harbour fees. These funds come directly to the general fund of the State Budget of Ukraine and the state enterprise “Ukrainian Sea Ports Authority". Due to the adoption of this regulatory act in 2018, the significant reduction in the financial activities of the enterprise in the amount of over UAH 900 million was taken place. Thus revenues to the State Budget of harbour fees decreased by more than UAH 30 million. 

The investigation has gathered enough evidence that the ex-Minister of Infrastructure issued this order in violation of current legislation, including the budget. It also had a direct impact on the reduction of budget revenues in particularly large amounts.

The pre-trial investigation is ongoing. The issue of imposing preventive measure on a suspect is being settled.

If found guilty, former high-ranking official faces a penalty of imprisonment for the term from two to six years with deprivation of right to hold certain posts or carry out certain activities for the term of up to three years.        

The investigation was conducted by the NABU detectives with the operational support of the SBU Main of Economic Counter-Intelligence Protection of the State's Economic Interests under procedural supervision of the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office.