Ukraine is stalling EU-required reform of bureau that can raid any official, risking European money it badly needs

Ukraine is hesitating to implement EU-required reforms to the State Bureau of Investigation (DBR), a powerful investigative body that can target any official. The EU seeks to reform the DBR to ensure accountability and prevent misuse of power. However, Ukraine's government is likely to pass changes that appear to meet monitoring requirements on paper, but in reality, the bureau will remain under the President's Office's control, as reported by investigative outlet Texty.

The DBR investigates officials, judges, prosecutors, and soldiers, making it a critical institution for upholding rule-of-law conditions tied to Ukraine's 2026 and 2027 budget aid from the EU. To secure the necessary reforms, the EU has tied the foreign aid to the selection of an independent director for the DBR. Currently, a nine-member commission, comprising three members appointed by the president, three by the parliament dominated by the president's party, and three proposed by the government on the suggestion of international partners, selects the director.

This structure leaves the foreign experts without a decisive vote, effectively allowing the President's Office to choose the director. While Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had promised to introduce the reform bill within a month in January, it remains pending as of October. The current director, Oleksii Sukhachov, whose term ends this year, will be replaced under the old rules.

Sukhachov has previously argued that overhauling the DBR during the ongoing war could jeopardize the state's stability. If Ukraine fails to adopt the reforms by the end of 2026, it risks reputational damage and the loss of European funding, which is crucial for addressing its budget deficit. The DBR's authority extends to executing searches, seizures, and summonses against individuals and institutions, making it a potent tool for wielding influence over the nation's political landscape.