Ukrainian Lawmaker Kachny Faces Bail in Illicit Enrichment Case

Preventive Measure for Oleksandr Kachny

According to Главком: The High Anti-Corruption Court of Ukraine has set bail as a preventive measure for Member of Parliament Oleksandr Kachny, who is suspected of illicit enrichment. The investigation found that in 2020-2021, he acquired assets worth approximately 13 million hryvnias, which exceeded his official income. Kachny's bail is set at 3 million hryvnias, which must be paid within five days of the measure being applied.

Case Details and Career Background

The criminal case against the MP was initiated on suspicion of illicit enrichment. Specifically, with the funds in question, Oleksandr Kachny purchased a cottage and a plot of land on the Black Sea coast in the village of Koblevo, as well as a 132.6 square meter apartment in central Kyiv. The cost of the design project and renovation for this apartment exceeded 5.5 million hryvnias. The MP has been notified of suspicion under Article 368-5 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.

Oleksandr Kachny began his career in 1991 as an engineer at the Mykolaivelectrotrans enterprise. Subsequently, from 2005 to 2006, he served as Chairman of the State Department of Fisheries. In 2006, Kachny was elected to the Kyiv Regional Council on the list of the Socialist Party of Ukraine and also became First Deputy Chairman of the Kyiv Regional Council. In 2010, he was elected as a deputy of the Kyiv Regional Council on the list of the Party of Regions and re-elected as Chairman of the Kyiv Regional Council.

• In 2014, Kachny resigned from the position of Chairman of the Regional Council and ran for the Verkhovna Rada of the 8th convocation from the Opposition Bloc.
• In 2019, he was elected as a People's Deputy of the 9th convocation from the party 'Opposition Platform - For Life'.
• As of 2019, he is a member of the Committee on Humanitarian and Information Policy and a member of the party's Political Council.

In August 2020, Kachny initiated a submission to the Constitutional Court regarding anti-corruption legislation. On October 28, 2020, the Constitutional Court published a decision that abolished liability for false asset declaration and electronic declaration, leading to the closure of all cases in this area. In 2021, Kachny refused to recognize Russian aggression on a talk show, and in January 2022, he stated that the West was trying to drag Russia into a war with Ukraine.

Currently, as part of the preventive measure, Oleksandr Kachny is obliged to appear before detectives of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and prosecutors of the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO) upon every summons for investigative or procedural actions, not to leave Kyiv without the permission of detectives, to report any change of residence or workplace, and to refrain from communicating with persons specified in the investigating judge's ruling. The case is ongoing, and further steps will depend on the progress of the investigation.

This case is a significant test for Ukraine's anti-corruption institutions, which have been a major focus of international support and domestic reform efforts since the 2014 Revolution of Dignity. The outcome will be closely watched as an indicator of the judiciary's independence and the effectiveness of the specialized anti-corruption bodies. The situation surrounding Oleksandr Kachny is important in the context of the fight against corruption in Ukraine, as it reflects the efforts of law enforcement agencies to expose and punish corrupt crimes among public officials. Supporting and implementing anti-corruption legislation is critically important for the further development of democratic institutions and public trust in state structures. The investigation in this case may affect Kachny's reputation as well as the political situation in the country overall.

The ongoing investigation into Oleksandr Kachny's assets has raised significant concerns regarding his financial dealings during his political career. For further insights into the specific allegations related to his property acquisitions exceeding 13 million hryvnias, you can read more about the illicit enrichment notice served to the MP.