PM orders to investigate government procurement of fuel

Prime Minister of Ukraine Arseniy Yatsenyuk has appealed to the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade of Ukraine, which by law is responsible for the implementation of state policy in the field of public procurement, to check the key state-owned companies and key administrators of budget funds as to the purchase of fuel. The Head of the Government said this at a meeting of the Ministry of Economic Development’s collegium on Tuesday, 23 June.

He has pointed out that, for example, it is possible to check at what prices the Defense Ministry, National Guard, Ukrzaliznytsia, Ministry of Health, public airport purchased fuel: "Let's see at what price different customers bought gasoline over the same period of time."

"If we do not make them accountable - and this first of all should be the function of the Ministry of Economy in a public plane - then any law that we will approve they will still bypass," he stressed.

Arseniy Yatsenyuk recalled that last year it was adopted the new law on public procurement. The Government developed it together with European partners and it is "close to the EU standards": "Unfortunately, not everything that is functioning in the EU, can function in Ukraine. And that is why this package of legislation must be adapted."

The Prime Minister has also emphasized the need to submit to the Verkhovna Rada a draft law on electronic procurement.