Ukraine's EU integration minister rejects competition for Prosecutor General post
Vsevolod Chentsov, Ukraine's Vice Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration, said in an interview with Yevropeiska Pravda that he sees no need or possibility of holding a competitive selection for the post of Prosecutor General. He argued that EU requirements do not mandate such a competition and that no comparable European practice exists. His remarks put a senior government voice in direct opposition to anti-corruption reformers who have already submitted a draft law to the Verkhovna Rada introducing a competitive procedure with international involvement.
Key points
- Vice PM Vsevolod Chentsov said he sees no need and no possibility of holding a competition for Prosecutor General.
- Chentsov stated that EU requirements do not call for a competition for the post.
- Chentsov claimed that no European practice of running such a competition exists.
- He cited Council of Europe experts who point to the Constitution of Ukraine and the role of the president and the Verkhovna Rada in appointing the Prosecutor General.
- In June, parliamentary anti-corruption committee head Anastasia Radina reported a draft law on competitive selection for Prosecutor General had been submitted to the Verkhovna Rada.
- Radina said competitive selection for Prosecutor General is practiced by individual EU member states.
- A KMIS poll showed 69% of Ukrainians support an independent competition with foreign experts for the post.
- Chentsov's remarks came in the context of a scandal involving former Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko.
Why it matters
Chentsov's position gives the government a clear senior voice against introducing a competitive procedure for the Prosecutor General, at a moment when anti-corruption reformers are pushing such a reform in the Verkhovna Rada. The statement could shape the parliamentary debate over the draft law already submitted and the political handling of the post in the wake of a scandal around former Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko.
What happened
In an interview with Yevropeiska Pravda, Vice Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Vsevolod Chentsov said he sees no need and no possibility of holding a competitive selection for the position of Prosecutor General. He argued that EU requirements do not mandate such a competition and that no such European practice exists, and pointed to Council of Europe experts who say the appointment process must follow the Constitution of Ukraine, which gives the president and the Verkhovna Rada defined roles. He said a balance must be struck between political independence and the competence of the appointee and acknowledged that the transparency of selection and selection on professional merits remains open for discussion. His comments came against the backdrop of a scandal involving former Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko and followed a June announcement by parliamentary anti-corruption committee head Anastasia Radina that a draft law on competitive selection for the post had been submitted to the Verkhovna Rada.
How Ukrainian sources describe it
All five supplied sources are Ukrainian outlets and frame the story as a domestic debate over the appointment procedure for the Prosecutor General. Coverage centers Chentsov, the senior official responsible for European integration, as the main voice, while setting his remarks against the anti-corruption reform camp's push for competitive selection with international involvement. The framing highlights the tension between the government's position and reformers who have already tabled a draft law in the Verkhovna Rada, and underlines strong public backing for an independent competition with foreign experts.
Where reporting differs
The two main voices diverge on whether competitive selection for Prosecutor General is an established European practice. Chentsov asserts that no such European practice exists, while Radina states that individual EU member states do apply it. They also frame EU obligations differently — Chentsov says EU requirements do not call for a competition, while Radina points to EU member-state practice without claiming an explicit EU requirement.
Background
Under the current procedure, the president selects a candidate for Prosecutor General, submits the candidacy to the Verkhovna Rada for a vote, and signs the appointment decree; if the candidate does not secure 226 votes, they are appointed as acting Prosecutor General. A KMIS poll found that 69% of Ukrainians support an independent competition with foreign experts for the post. Experts have concluded that adding an advisory body such as a competition commission to the appointment procedure would not change the constitutional model. Anti-corruption actors have proposed alternative formats, including an open competition with an independent commission involving international experts, or the involvement of a third party such as an Ethical Council or EU representatives. In June, Anastasia Radina, head of the parliamentary committee on anti-corruption policy, reported that a draft law on competitive selection for Prosecutor General had been submitted to the Verkhovna Rada and said the competitive approach is practiced by individual EU member states.