The Prosecutor General’s Office’s Department of International Cooperation has been reorganised, and the post of deputy head of the department, held by Operation ‘Carthage’ suspect Serhii Kropyva, has been abolished.
This was reported by the PGO spokesperson Mariana Haiovska, according to Ukrainska Pravda.
“By order of the acting Prosecutor General, the PGO’s Department of International Cooperation has been reorganised. As part of the reorganisation, among other things, the post of deputy head of the Department, held by S.V. Kropyva, has been abolished,” Haiovska said.
Earlier, the Prosecutor General’s Office explained that it is not possible to issue an order dismissing a prosecutor on the grounds of their arrest or the serving of a notice of suspicion.
In addition, a disciplinary complaint against Kropyva is being considered by the Qualification and Disciplinary Commission of Prosecutors. This commission may decide on disciplinary action, such as dismissing the suspect from the prosecution service.
Meanwhile, acting Prosecutor General Anton Kovalskyi has sent a letter to the commission asking it to expedite consideration of the disciplinary complaint and suspend Kropyva from his post.
What Is Known About Operation ‘Carthage’
- NABU and SAPO said on 4 September that they were conducting a special operation to expose a criminal organisation “headed by an official of the Prosecutor General’s Office of Ukraine”.
- Anti-corruption agencies said members of the organisation may be involved in providing protection for a network of fraudulent call centres and in laundering assets.
- The Prosecutor General’s Office responded to the possible involvement of one of its employees in work with fraudulent call centres, saying all circumstances must be established by the investigation.
- The Prosecutor General denied any involvement in the scheme and instructed all prosecution staff investigating cases involving illegal call centres to undergo polygraph tests. Kravchenko also submitted his resignation. On 15 September, the Verkhovna Rada backed Kravchenko’s dismissal from office, and he later left the country altogether.
- NABU’s video featured the organiser — a PGO official referred to as the “Chancellor” — as well as the “Boss”, the “Muse”, and other participants in the scheme. Overall, NABU said it had exposed five individuals in proceedings under Article 255 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (establishing and leading a criminal organisation, as well as participation in it) and Article 209 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (legalisation (laundering) of property).
- On 6 September, a court remanded PGO employee Serhii Kropyva in custody. On 8 September, a preventive measure was imposed on a trusted associate of the “Chancellor”.
- On 16 September, the Appeals Chamber of the High Anti-Corruption Court left Kropyva’s preventive measure unchanged — he will remain in custody with the alternative of posting bail of UAH 120 million.
- Incidentally, the Lviv Regional Prosecutor’s Office denied reports of a meeting between its head, Mykola Mereta, and Kropyva.