Ruslan Romanov, Chairman of the Council of Prosecutors of Ukraine, spoke of a targeted information campaign and attempts at manipulation surrounding the formation of the selection committee for the leadership of the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office. According to him, criticism of the appointment of certain commission members—in particular, attorney Oleksiy Shevchuk—is subjective and ignores legislative requirements. 

He made these remarks in an interview with the Judicial and Legal Newspaper.

Romanov emphasized that Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko acted strictly within the law, and any demands to revoke the appointments without legal grounds constitute a direct interference with his independence.

According to the Council chairman, the selection process was as transparent as possible; however, civil society activists and lawyers did not show sufficient interest in participating in the competition. Only four candidates submitted their documents by the deadline, including Oleksiy Shevchuk. Romanov suggested that the low level of engagement from the civil society sector might be linked to fears regarding the requirement to declare assets and assume real responsibility. He emphasized that the law does not provide for the removal of a commission member due to media attention, but only on clearly defined grounds, such as a personal statement or health issues.

The scandal erupted after a number of leading civil society organizations (the Center for Political and Constitutional Reform, “Automaidan,” and “DEJURE”) and media outlets called on the Prosecutor General to replace Oleksiy Shevchuk. The Prosecutors’ Council warned that any unlawful personnel changes would lead to lawsuits and paralyze the commission’s work indefinitely.

In response to questions from the public and the media regarding the process of forming the Selection Commission, which screens candidates for administrative positions in the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO), the Council of Prosecutors of Ukraine and the Prosecutor General explained the sequence of events and the procedures followed by the prosecution authorities.

Oleksiy Shevchuk, spokesperson for the National Bar Association of Ukraine, stated that he and his family had received direct threats to their lives and health in connection with his appointment as a member of the commission for selecting prosecutors for the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAP).