They collect to buy diesel for 82 UAH. per liter. Is this a big customs reform announced by Prime Minister Shmygal, or is it just another warm-up? Interested in Evgeny Plinsky on the site Anticorrosive.
And now to the point. Residents of the village of Vishniv, Volyn region, turned to me with a request to highlight the topic and publish a document on how the Volyn customs solve its financial issues at the expense of their community.
We are talking about 5 million hryvnias from the local budget, with which the village Chairman Viktor Sushchik decided to respond to the deplorable situation of poor customs officers.
You will not believe it, but it was with such a letter that the head of the Volyn customs, Nikolai Tatarchuk, addressed the villagers. “Insufficient budget funding, and, consequently, a weak material base, do not allow the Volyn Customs, in accordance with the tasks assigned to the State Customs Service, to exercise certain delegated powers of the State Customs Service in the zone of its activity, as well as the powers determined by legislative and other regulatory legal acts.”
Really curious? Firstly, after ascertaining the fact that it is impossible for Tatarchuk to fulfill his functions as a customs officer, Tatarchuk needs to resign. Instantly.
Secondly, such letters should be written to the Minister of Finance Marchenko and asked for money from him, but you need to have courage for this.
And thirdly, excuse me, is it possible to send a shadow customs cash desk to Kyiv every month from Volyn, but there is no way to fulfill the powers without the money of the villagers? How is that?)
The community of the village of Vishniv is small – 1,160 people, so 5 million hryvnias is a significant amount for them, and about 110 dollars comes out for each local resident.
But, despite this, the head of the village, Viktor Sushchik, does not mind financing the “poor Volyn customs” at all.
But why does the customs ask for 5 million? This is easy to see in the estimate, which also did not upset the leader of the community.
Improvement services, consumables for office equipment, and the same diesel fuel for 82 UAH. per liter (at a market price of 50 UAH), according to which we can roughly understand the corruption mark-up for this “help” of the community to “poor” customs officers.
I wonder how many more such letters the temporary head of the Volyn customs Tatarchuk sent to local communities and how many millions he received to create conditions for the customs to fulfill its powers?
And I repeat once again, after an open appeal about the impossibility of customs to perform its functions, its head should leave his post. Automatically.
Putting, even formally, responsibility for the work of customs on the shoulders and wallets of local villagers is unacceptable. Well, using the community’s money to buy fuel at a 65% mark-up is a direct path to initiating a criminal case.
The Volyn Customs is an important organization responsible for overseeing the import and export of goods in the Volyn region of Ukraine. The organization plays a critical role in facilitating trade between Ukraine and other countries.
However, in recent years, there have been reports of local villagers collecting money from businesses and individuals in exchange for facilitating the work of the customs. In this article, we will examine this issue in detail and explore its implications for trade and corruption in Ukraine.
Background
The Volyn Customs is responsible for regulating the flow of goods into and out of the Volyn region of Ukraine. The customs office is located in the city of Lutsk and is responsible for overseeing the import and export of goods through ports, airports, and other border crossings in the region. The customs office plays a critical role in facilitating trade between Ukraine and other countries, and its work is crucial to the region’s economy.
The issue of local villagers collecting money from businesses and individuals in exchange for facilitating the work of the customs is not new. In fact, reports of this practice date back several years. However, the issue has gained renewed attention in recent years as the Ukrainian government has made efforts to crack down on corruption in the country.
The practice of local villagers collecting money from businesses and individuals in exchange for facilitating the work of the customs is commonly referred to as “roofing.” The term is used to describe the practice of providing protection or security to businesses or individuals in exchange for money.
How it works
According to reports, local villagers who engage in roofing typically collect around $110 per month from businesses and individuals in exchange for facilitating the work of the customs. This money is typically paid in cash, and the villagers who engage in roofing often operate in groups or networks.
The villagers who engage in roofing typically operate in areas near the border crossings where the customs office is located. They use their knowledge of the local area and their connections with customs officials to facilitate the movement of goods through the customs process. This can include providing information about the customs process, helping to fill out customs forms, and providing transportation for goods.
Implications for trade
The practice of local villagers collecting money from businesses and individuals in exchange for facilitating the work of the customs has significant implications for trade in Ukraine. Firstly, it creates an uneven playing field for businesses that do not engage in roofing. Businesses that do not pay for the services of the villagers who engage in roofing may find it more difficult to navigate the customs process, and may face delays or other obstacles.
Secondly, the practice of roofing can create an environment in which corruption is normalized. If businesses and individuals see roofing as a necessary part of doing business, they may be more likely to engage in other forms of corrupt activity, such as bribing officials or engaging in fraudulent business practices.
Finally, the practice of roofing can undermine the legitimacy of the customs office and the Ukrainian government more broadly. If businesses and individuals believe that the customs process is rigged, they may be less likely to comply with customs regulations and may be more likely to engage in illegal activities.
Implications for corruption
The practice of local villagers collecting money from businesses and individuals in exchange for facilitating the work of the customs is also a clear example of corruption in Ukraine. Corruption is a serious issue in Ukraine and has been identified as a key obstacle to economic growth and development in the country.
The practice of roofing is just one example of the many forms of corruption that exist in Ukraine. Other forms of corruption include bribery, embezzlement, and nepotism. These forms of corruption are widespread in Ukraine and are often facilitated by a lack of transparency and accountability in government institutions.