Arsen Avakov
At the end of August, Ukrainian Interior Minister Arsen Avakov declared his determination to present a draft reform plan for the Ministry of Internal Affairs by September 15, believing the Cabinet of Ministers and Parliament would approve it by the end of October. Avakov planned to go beyond reforming his own agency and simultaneously "reform" the courts, the Security Service of Ukraine, and the Prosecutor's Office. However, mysteriously, no Ministry of Internal Affairs initiatives were discussed at any of the meetings within Vitaliy Yarema and Valentyn Nalyvaichenko's structures, and were only heard about from the Ministry of Internal Affairs press service.
But a word is not a sparrow, and it's the last phrase that sticks in the mind. And those who care about law and order in the country remembered Avakov's promise and awaited the announced date with trepidation.
Those waiting wanted to believe that the de jure reforms wouldn't de facto become cosmetic reorganizations or modernizations that would change nothing in essence. The very architect of the reforms, Interior Minister Arsen Avakov, made it clear that Europe, for him, was not so much a safe haven for political asylum as an alma mater of law enforcement innovations.
Until now, the reform of fiscal and law enforcement institutions and special services has proceeded exclusively through the dismemberment of post-Soviet monsters and the employment of restless, rejuvenated generals in the new agencies. There have been many changes and reshuffles, but far less satisfaction for taxpayers.
But insiders know that the pseudo-"know-how" tirelessly generated by numerous teams of reformers has, in fact, been replicated for years under the Twinning program. The latter is the brainchild of the European Commission, originally conceived to help EU candidate countries acquire the necessary qualifications and experience to adopt, implement, and enforce EU legislation.
The Ukrainian Ministry of Internal Affairs has been involved in this promising program for many years. As a result of these years of work, clear criteria and strategic directions for reform have been developed. These have long been presented by EU specialists and are a secret to few. All that is required of today's reformers is not to reinvent the wheel, but to strictly follow the step-by-step instructions already developed.
But there's a crucial "but." The main, and perhaps the only, problem with such reforms is the composition of the implementation team and their motivation. This is precisely where the key problems arose in recent years. The most popular motivators were greed, avarice, and revenge, coupled with blatant ignorance.
Avakov's September 15 deadline for presenting the upcoming reforms appears to have been premature. And no one can predict how many more such interim measures will be announced. The notorious human factor is to blame: the anticipated reforms have begun to falter not so much due to the budget deficit as to lack of coordination. And a specific kind of lack of coordination, in fact: personnel. Consensus and mutual understanding cannot be reached between the various reform teams regarding the candidates who will subsequently lead the structures and departments subjected to ruthless reforms.
Behind the scenes at the Ministry of Internal Affairs, they are convinced that Arsen Avakov, swayed by the Chapayev-like charisma of his battalion commanders, has placed his bets on volunteer battalions. He is unconcerned that their commanders sometimes resort to blackmail, threatening large-scale destabilization and the complete loss of control over the regions if field commanders and their protégés don't receive key positions in the ministry. The "hawks" returning from the ATO have demanded that Avakov hand over the entire "criminal bloc" to them. This includes not only criminal investigation, economic crime, and drug trafficking units, but also wiretapping and surveillance. How the Ministry of Internal Affairs "hawks" will utilize such formidable potential, and whether their internal restraints will work, is a far from idle question.
But before you give something away, you have to take it away. Until recently, all of the aforementioned "goodies" were under the control of First Deputy Minister Vladimir Evdokimov. Avakov failed to find common ground within the Cabinet of Ministers regarding Evdokimov's dismissal. Removing him is no easy feat. But where can you find someone as capable as Evdokimov of overseeing the criminal investigation, not just formally but also ensuring the investigation of crimes from beginning to end? Minister Avakov, seeking to avoid conflict with the battalion commanders at all costs, decided to carry out an internal reorganization within his department.
It took place on September 15, when the heads of all the Ministry of Internal Affairs' departments and support units were urgently summoned to the minister's office. Contrary to the expectations of those present, Deputy Minister Chebotar He didn't convey a "new concept" to those gathered, but rather announced that: a) Arsen Avakov is not going on election leave; b) from now on, he will not only be carrying the weight of the election propaganda cart, but will also take personal responsibility for the entire criminal bloc, hitherto headed by his first deputy, Evdokimov. The first deputy minister, now effectively without authority, has been assigned the service previously known as the "juvenile police department."
Here, as they say, you should either take off your cross or put on your underwear. Arsen Petrovich, so who in the Ministry of Internal Affairs is actually directly involved in organizing crime-solving efforts? You or your first deputy? And isn't it expensive to keep the First Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs on payroll, who, by the Minister's will, is entrusted with solving crimes committed by minors? Don't you trust him? Just say so: in a military-style manner, directly and for all to hear.
Many residents of the department on Bogomolets Street were indeed looking forward to the presentation of the reforms announced by the minister—until September 15th. And if you've moved that date, instruct the press service to inform them. People still believe...
Veteran of the Ministry of Internal Affairs for TEMA
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