Copyright © 2021 Euromaidanpress.com

The work of Euromaidan Press is supported by the International Renaissance Foundation

When referencing our materials, please include an active hyperlink to the Euromaidan Press material and a maximum 500-character extract of the story. To reprint anything longer, written permission must be acquired from [email protected].

Privacy and Cookie Policies.

Ukraine needs an army of EU volunteer auditors

Ukraine is in a catch 22 with the EU. It cannot get money until it reforms and it cannot reform unless it has money.

It desperately needs money but if it would get any money it would not end up with those that need it but rather feed the oligarchs. Ukraine has to move away from an oligarchic system which is a system by which a select few who control the state behind the scenes become increasingly rich by feeding themselves off the state through monopolies and state subsidies for inefficient industries they control.

The following example gives you an idea how powerful these oligarchs are. After the new government came to power in March, the IMF proposed to pay the salaries of the coal miners for the rest of their lives. This would cost $300 million a year but still save $1 bn a year of which most currently ends up in the hands of Ukraine’s richest people. This $1 bn in Ukraine’s situation could have been spent on producing arms and paying the soldiers and would have created a lot of jobs, while improving the defence of Ukraine against Russian aggression. Instead, over $500 million of the coal subsidies ended up in occupied territories where they now have stocks of coal that the Ukrainian government considers buying as it has not enough coal to survive more than one winter month. A big part of the subsidized coal generated in non-occupied territories was sold by DTEK holding, owned by Akhmetov Ukraine’s richest oligarch, to Russia, in order “to honor contracts.”

Ukraine can get money to buy energy this winter on condition that all energy subsidies are stopped. But this would just make the oligarchs shift their business tactics. This was proven when the government announced that they would buy South African coal, after which corrupt government agencies then bought the coal through traders at ridiculously high prices rather than directly from coal mines.

To make an end to these practices we need outside auditing, a lot of outside auditing. The only way to achieve this is through an unprecedented army of EU volunteer auditors that bring in the knowledge to check if any business that receives EU funds is handling these funds as expected. EU taxpayers have the right to know the money they give to Ukraine is well spent. The more they are convinced the money is well spent, the more generous they will be and the less money will actually be needed as before you know it Ukraine will be self sufficient.

For the energy industry that uses coal this means auditors to check the following:

  • Contracts made with coal mines at competitive prices featuring competitive shipping rates.
  • Auditors who check if coal delivered confirms in quantity and quality with what was bought.
  • To audit if this coal is effectively delivered at the right destination.
  • If the coal is burned efficiently and when needed as you would expect it should be done.

Like this we need auditors for plenty of other sectors of the economy:

  • Auditors are needed for the banking sector as these will all have to be bailed out.
  • Auditors for customs are needed as this is one of the primary tax revenue resources for Ukraine and theft at large scale takes place there.
  • Auditors to the arms industry as a lot of funds go that way.
  • Auditors are needed for the justice department as this is in total failure.

To achieve this we need hundreds of volunteer auditors that comply with the following profile:

  • EU national with residence in a EU country.
  • University schooled or having specialist knowledge.
  • Preferably retired or willing to sacrifice holidays.
    Have no business interests in Ukraine.
  • Willing to work for only expenses paid.
  • Prepared to publish the auditing reports generated publicly on the Internet.
  • Knowledge of Russian or Ukrainian is a plus but not a requirement as translators can be provided.

We would like to build a pool of Auditors so big the EU and Ukrainian government cannot ignore them. If not,expect them to hire very expensive auditors that will perform a fraction of the audits volunteers can do for the same price. They will then write reports we never get to see.

Please spread this message to anyone you think is suitable and willing to be a EU volunteer Auditor for Ukraine. They can register themselves by requesting to join the following LinkedIn group: EU volunteer Auditor for Ukraine. 

 

You could close this page. Or you could join our community and help us produce more materials like this.  We keep our reporting open and accessible to everyone because we believe in the power of free information. This is why our small, cost-effective team depends on the support of readers like you to bring deliver timely news, quality analysis, and on-the-ground reports about Russia's war against Ukraine and Ukraine's struggle to build a democratic society. A little bit goes a long way: for as little as the cost of one cup of coffee a month, you can help build bridges between Ukraine and the rest of the world, plus become a co-creator and vote for topics we should cover next. Become a patron or see other ways to support. Become a Patron!
Total
0
Shares
Related Posts

March 15: Approximately 8.6 thousand soldiers of the Russian troops are currently located in Donbas

March 15 – "Approximately 8.6 thousand soldiers of the Russian troops are currently located in Donbas. Together with illegal armed formations of so called People's Republics of Donetsk and Luhansk, the Russian group of troops amounts to more than 43 thousand militants, approximately 780 tanks, 1030 armoured vehicles, 500 artillery systems, almost 420 MLRS, 7 flame throwers "Buratino", nearly 130 air defence systems", – said Deputy Chief of Staff of the ATO in sector C Valentyn Fedychev.

March 15 – After the events at Independence Square (Maidan) in Kyiv in winter of 2014, Armed Forces of the Russian Federation were ready for any scenario – Moscow was ready to bring its nuclear forces to alert, – stated Russian President Vladimir Putin in a film about the annexation of the Crimea "Crimea. The way home."

March 15 – President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko has accused Russia of violating the ceasefire and said that Minsk agreements have failed: since the beginning of a full ceasefire on February 15th, it has been violated 1100 times. This was stated by the President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko in an interview to Bild newspaper before he left for Germany. Also the President noted that the OSCE observers do not have proper access to be able to fully control the process of withdrawal of heavy weapons. The President called to respond to violations of Minsk agreements by increased sanctions against Russia.

March 15 – To Crimea for the disarmament of the Ukrainainn soldiers, the Main Reconnaissance Department of the Russian Federation was sent. This is presented in the movie about the annexation of Crimea, "Crimea -The Road to the Fatherland", which will be transmitted on the Russian television channel, Russia 1," stated RF President Volodymyr Putin. "In order to block and disarm 20,000 individuals, well armed, it is necessary to have a certain selection of personnel. This means not only in terms of numbers, but also in terms of quality. Professionals were needed who know how to do this. Therefore, I delegated the task and provided directions to the Ministry of Defense what to hide under the guise of increasing the guards for our army objects in Crimea, to send there the special sub-units of the Main Reconnaissance Managers and units of the land navy soldiers, the paratroopers.

The Russian Military Forum: Russia's Hybrid War Campaign: Implications for Ukraine and Beyond

Russia was ready for nuclear standoff during Crimea conflict

Andrei Kurkov: there is a clash of two mentalities in Ukraine

China recognizes that Crimea has to be returned to Ukraine

Edward Lucas: Where is Putin?

Israel's former ambassador to Russia: 'There are signs of a coup'

P.S.: Please spread this appeal as much as possible.