USAID allocated $16 million to corrupt officials from the State Judicial Administration

USAID allocated $16 million to corrupt officials from the State Judicial Administration

The Department of Judicial Administration Management of Ukraine mastered $16.7 million from the USAID program—from the second half of 2022 to the first half of 2024.

This was reported by the Judicial-Legal Newspaper.

The cost of the US program includes services for organizing catering, travel compensations, meals, car rentals, office repairs, and payment for air transportation. This is reflected in the plans for the procurement of goods, works, and services procured by using international technical assistance funds, as well as in the reports that the State Judicial Administration of Ukraine submitted to the Cabinet of Ministers for 2022-2024. These documents are cited at the end of this material.

The Cabinet’s website states that the project under registration number 4836 provides for a total allocation of $48 million to the State Judicial Administration from USAID. The executor is Chemonics International Inc. This is an international private company from Washington through which the main funds from the federal United States Agency for International Development (USAID) pass. It is also known that the new White House administration intends to conduct an audit of the spending.

Thus, it is currently known about two procurement plans under the USAID "Justice for All" program.

One program was planned for $24 million (the registration card number of this project assigned by the government is 4836).

The procurement plan for this program bears the signature of the head of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) "Justice for All" program, David M. Vaughn, as well as the project beneficiary representative—then acting head of the State Judicial Administration Oleksiy Salnikov. It is worth recalling that the case involving Oleksiy Salnikov is currently being heard in the High Anti-Corruption Court (HACC).

The second program is designed for the sum of $48 million, and the procurement plan under this program is signed by the current head of the State Judicial Administration Maksym Pampura (registration card 4836-05).

The procurement plan using funds from the USAID program, signed by Oleksiy Salnikov and David M. Vaughn, states the following:

The total estimated cost of the USAID "Justice for All" program is $23.99 million. The executor is Chemonics International Inc.

The beneficiary of the funds is defined as the State Judicial Administration. This specific procurement involves the use of $7.255 million.

More than $5 million was allocated, among other things, for transportation services, copying and publishing literature, subscription to specialized periodicals, conducting surveys, media project services, and information campaigns, stationery for recipients, etc.

• Additionally, $916.49 thousand, almost a million dollars, was allocated, among other things, for: Air transportation, rail and bus connections
• Ground transportation and transfers (car rental, taxi, train, bus)
• Hotel services
• Hotel booking services
• Daily expenses, meals, additional expenses
• Visa processing
• Parking space rental
• Reimbursement of expenses for the above items, etc.

Another over $1 million was allocated according to the procurement plan, among other things, for:

• Office repair and adaptation
• Apartment rental (residential premises) for foreign project staff, utilities, housing maintenance services, operational services
• Advertising in periodicals
• Mass mailing support services
• Survey services, etc.

Another $199.39 thousand was allocated, among other things, for:

• Accommodation for participants, meals, catering services
• Transport services, participant travel
• Venue rental for events
• Name badges, printing certificates and invitations, etc.
• Another $152,000 was planned for office supply.

What has been achieved with these funds

The State Judicial Administration needed to report on these funds to the Cabinet of Ministers.

Thus, from September 1, 2024, to June 30, 2024, under project 4836, the State Judicial Administration of Ukraine mastered $5.018 million under the USAID program.

In particular, 5,000 copies of Tom Bingham’s book "Justice" were issued and distributed, and a presentation was held (at the Hyatt Regency Kyiv hotel with catering). The State Judicial Administration also reported on the creation of justice community centers, which "allow for the prevention and resolution of legal issues within communities."

Additionally, unified integrity indicators for judges and judicial candidates were developed. Various public organizations were also supported, and experts were involved. Support was provided to the Ethics Council, which selects members of the High Council of Justice, and the Advisory Group of Experts, which selects Constitutional Court judges.

Support was provided to the NGO "Media Initiative for Human Rights." Manuals were presented.

It is worth noting that part of the NGOs mentioned in the State Judicial Administration’s reports are, according to the "UP" data, recipients of US grants. For instance, in the 2023 report, the State Judicial Administration notes that "support was provided to the Association of Women Lawyers of Ukraine ‘JurFem’ in holding the Fourth Annual Forum of Women Lawyers of Ukraine, ‘Roadmap to Combat Sexual Violence,’ on June 16, 2023.”

From January 2023 to June 2023, the State Judicial Administration mastered $4.177 million.

From July 2023 to December 2023, another $4.34 million was mastered by the State Judicial Administration.

From July 1, 2022, to December 31, 2022, while Oleksiy Salnikov was heading the State Judicial Administration, $3.124 million was mastered under the USAID project.

For this money, in particular, expert Victoria Jenett (Germany) was engaged, who researched the issue and prepared a report with recommendations. She analyzed the experience of involving the public in the judiciary qualification procedures, using the example of the Public Council of Integrity (PCI).

Additionally, the Kyiv District Court of Odesa, as noted by the State Judicial Administration, was recognized by the Council of Europe and entered the top three nominees for the "Crystal Scales of Justice" award. A donor meeting was held on implementing the law on mediation. However, work was suspended due to the war since many mediators left the country.
Support was also provided for developing an online platform for Ukrainian law students (although whether it was completed is not specified). Moreover, webinars for judges and focus group meetings for creating small claims courts and justice of the peace courts in Ukraine were conducted (it is known that this has not been established). The State Judicial Administration also prepared an informational brochure for members of parliament.