Corruption in the Ministry of Energy: HACC releases Energy Minister’s advisor without a measure of restraint

Corruption in the Ministry of Energy: HACC releases Energy Minister’s advisor without a measure of restraint

The Supreme Anti-Corruption Court (HACC) did not take any action against the adviser to the Minister of Energy Herman Halushchenko, Maksym Nemchinov, who previously held the position of Deputy Minister. Nemchinov, as well as former MP from the Party of Regions Volodymyr Vecherko, are suspected of organizing abuses of almost UAH 12 million in the sale of coal.

Journalist Oleh Novikov reported this. He noted:

• The decision was made by the investigative judge of the High Anti-Corruption Court, Larysa Zadorozhna;
• "it appears she has accepted that the suspicion is unfounded";
• Her decision has already been appealed to the Appeals Chamber of the High Anti-Corruption Court.

"NABU and SAPO suspect Nemchinov and former MP Volodymyr Vecherko of organizing abuses of almost UAH 12 million in the sale of coal. Along with them, former director of the state enterprise Ukrugol Vitaliy Zyuzko is also suspected," the statement says.

The journalist noted: according to the investigation, at the end of July 2022, "due to military actions, the coal market in Ukraine was limited." Therefore, in order to ensure a stable heating season 2022/2023, the Cabinet of Ministers obliged Ukrugol to supply energy resources only to certain electricity producers - in particular, the state-owned PJSC Centrenergo.

"Despite such restrictions, Vecherko (owner of Interbis LLC), in collusion with Nemchinov, convinced Zyuzko to sell coal to his company, which, by the way, had a debt of more than UAH 50 million to the state-owned enterprise Ukrugol. As a result, Ukrugol supplied the private company with almost 24 thousand tons of raw materials, which it resold with a profit of almost UAH 20 million. At the same time, Centrenergo received 12.5 thousand tons of coal less and was forced to buy it in October 2022 at a significantly higher price, overpaying almost UAH 12 million," Novikov said.

Maksym Nemchinov has worked in the energy sector for 20 years. He held various positions in the Ministry of Energy and Coal Industry of Ukraine, including State Secretary, Deputy Minister, and Advisor to the Minister. Nemchinov was Deputy Minister from July 2020 to December 2021. In this position, he worked on the development of the Coal Industry Reform Concept.

Volodymyr Vecherko was a people’s deputy of the Verkhovna Rada of the 7th convocation and entered parliament on the lists of the "Party of Regions". This was his third and last term as a people’s deputy, since this convocation was dissolved in the summer of 2014. At one time, Vecherko was the first deputy head of the committee on construction, urban development, housing and communal services and regional policy of the Verkhovna Rada.

Vitaliy Zyuzko became the head of Ukrugol in July 2022.