Rivne Court Corruption
Russian Interests Promoted Via Rivne Court Corruption
The case:
A Rivne Appeals Court Judge upheld a bogus lower court ruling to suspend and fine the mayor of Rivne from office for not disclosing a “conflict of interest”. What was the alleged conflict of interest? The mayor paid a legal bonus of about $180 to an official city employee in 2022 – the same as other key employees – and Judge Nadiya Mykhailivna Kovalchuk extrapolated that it was corruption because the employee made a $1200 donation to the mayor’s campaign 3 years ago. As a result of this absurd ruling, the democratically elected mayor of Rivne is suspended from office for a year and required to pay a fine of 6800 hryvnias. Such court rulings are evidence of continued Russian influence on the legal system of Ukraine. Not only do they deny justice and subvert the will of the voters, but they demonstrate that Russian-inspired corruption is rampant in Ukraine’s courts.
What Happened?
Judge Nadiya Kovalchuk is the Best Promoter of Russian Interests in Rivne in 2023.
In the November 2020 mayoral election, the voters elected a 34-year-old activist named Oleksandr Tretyak. The mayor’s term has endured both the covid lockdown and the Russian invasion, and under his leadership, the city was recently awarded the “Plaque of Honor” by the Council of Europe based on the promotion of European values. The respected transparency watchdog organization Chesno also cited Rivne city council three months ago as one of the top three city councils in the country regarding a “maximum level of openness” towards the public.
However, rival politicians and criminals in Rivne saw Mayor Tretyak as a threat. They orchestrated a complaint against the mayor for not informing the National Agency for the Prevention of Corruption (NAPC) of the supposed conflict of interest. Then a judge with a questionable history and background issued a kangaroo court ruling in July 2023 that suspended the mayor from serving in office for one year and fined him the equivalent of $180. The supposed conflict of interest ignores the guidance of the NAPC which states that campaign donations do NOT constitute income for public officials. In addition, the Rivne Prosecutor’s Office did not request a suspension in this case. Thus, the judge concocted a ridiculous ruling that violates both logic and Western democratic practices.
Mayor Tretyak appealed this ruling to the Appeals Court in Rivne and the case was heard on August 25, 2023. Judge Nadiya Kovalchuk disregarded all legal arguments including from the former Ombudsman of Ukraine who argued on behalf of the mayor. A few hours into the hearing, Judge Kovalchuk upheld the 1 year suspension and fine.
As US Ambassador Geoffrey Pyatt said in 2015, “Make no mistake: Ukraine’s two wars go on. The war against a determined aggressor in the East, and, less visible but arguably even more insidious, the war against corruption- the central battlefield in the struggle…”. Judge Nadia Kovalchuk of the Appeals Court in Rivne has just reinforced the ambassador’s statement. Corrupt court rulings like this demonstrate that while Ukraine may win on the battlefield, the Russians have already won in the courtrooms. By keeping control of the courtrooms, Russia will be able to block Ukraine’s efforts to join the EU and NATO after the war.
What’s the Russia connection to the Rivne court ruling? Mayor Tretyak was not only an opposition party mayor but the only big city Protestant mayor in Ukraine. At a time when the US Congress led by Republicans (most of whom are Protestant) is considering new weapons and budget money for Ukraine, this court ruling removes the mayor as an advocate of continued US support for Ukraine. The kangaroo court ruling also gives Republicans a reason to vote against Ukrainian aid. After all, if Ukraine discriminates against Protestant mayors, why should the GOP support it with more money and weapons? By issuing this ridiculous ruling, Judge Nadiya Kovalchuk has become the best promoter of Russian interests in Rivne in 2023.
The case is being appealed to the European Court of Human Rights where Mr. Tretyak is expected to win and Ukraine will pay financial damages. Unfortunately, this case will take around two years and the harm to Ukraine and subversion of the will of the voters in Rivne has already taken place.
Media on this case:
Ukraine must not forget fight against corruption while battling Russia
Working against Ukraine’s own interests
Why Local Officials Must Participate in Ukraine’s Reconstruction
International Republican Institute
Rivne mayor suspended from office for one year over corruption offense
RESULTS OF THE EXTERNAL AUDIT OF THE NACP: STRATEGIC FAILURE OF THE INSTITUTION OR NOVIKOV'S?
"Mr. Novikov can shake hands with mayors as long as he wants, signing memorandums with them, but they know very well that protocols of the National Agency on Corruption Prevention against Mayors of Chernihiv and Rivne - is Novikov's serve towards interested Bankova. Thus, NACP prepared the right protocol while the court, following the scheme, used unjustifiably severe punishment and removed Mayors from their positions. But, as the saying goes, now the details have become clear."
Judge of Rivne Court of Appeal declared almost 150 thousand dollars and a business class car purchased during the war
About Mayor Tretyak
Oleksandr Tretyak, was elected mayor of the city of Rivne (population 270,000) in November 2020 at the age of 34. He was the only European Solidarity candidate elected as mayor of an oblast capital during that election, as well as the only big city Protestant mayor in Ukraine. Tretyak stunned the political establishment skyrocketing from a 1.2% rating at the start of the campaign to winning the runoff 12 weeks later with 50.2%. Since his time as mayor, the city of Rivne has won awards from the transparency watchdog Chesno and for the promotion of European values from the Council of Europe.
Since the Russian invasion in February 2023, Mayor Tretyak has actively been organizing humanitarian and medical supplies to be shipped to the frontlines to support the Ukrainian army. Tretyak has been a strong supporter of the Ukrainian army since 2014, organizing the delivery of aid to hot spots in the Eastern Ukraine including Sloviansk and Shyrokyne. He established cooperation with foreign partners in United States and Europe, providing the Ukrainian military with uniforms, optics, shoes, and protective helmets among other items. Tretyak’s political activism dates back to the 2004 Orange Revolution when he was a member of the student movement supporting President Yushchenko.
Tretyak is an evangelical Christian and was the head of the Reformation Movement in Rivne region from 2017-2019. At the age of 26, Oleksandr Tretyak became Chairman of the Rivne Bible Seminary and Academy. He has participated in volunteer trips to the African continent where he implemented social projects in the Republic of Ghana and Burkina Faso working in orphanages and helping build a medical clinic.
