The SBU reform takes into account the best international practices and Ukrainian security realities. This was announced by the Deputy Head of the SBU Reform Serhii Pun on one of the TV channels.

“Each country establishes its own special service based on existing security realities and a certain traditional and historical approach. Today, our security reality is a war with the Russia, the occupied territories, sabotage activities by the Russian special services,” commented Serhii Pun.

He stressed that no other European country is currently facing such challenges. Therefore, it is not entirely correct in the current situation to deprive the SBU of law enforcement functions and make it exclusively informational special service, which is considered the best practice in the EU.

At the same time, he noted that special services have law enforcement powers in the EU countries, which in the 1990s had similar starting points and left the so-called socialist camp. In particular, Polish special service is similar in function to the SBU. In two Baltic countries, the secret services also have the right to conduct pre-trial investigation.

Serhii Pun also detailed the general reform algorithm.

The first step is the adoption of the Law on the Security Service of Ukraine, which will define the new SBU tasks.

Afterwards, there will be the introduction of a new SBU structure and a step-by-step downsizing. It will take place, inter alia, due to the introduction of electronic document management and analytical systems.

According to the reform, the main values ​​ are respect for human rights and freedoms, political and operational independence of the SBU, professionalism, integrity, and adaptability. “Our priority is to create a modern, efficient, and capable special service,” said Serhii Pun.

He hopes that the law will be adopted in 2020, as reform is a real need and there is a public demand for it.

We remind that the draft law on the Security Service of Ukraine was submitted
by the President to the Parliament on March 10. It contains innovations that will allow the SBU to change and improve its activity. In May, the Verkhovna Rada considered the bill and filed it for a second reading. Currently, work on the text of the project is underway on the basis of the profile committee of the Verkhovna Rada with the involvement of expert representatives from international partners and the public sector.