Lubinets demands inspection of Zakarpattia TCC over staffing schemes

The ombudsperson is calling for a broad audit of the activity of the Territorial Center of Recruitment and Social Support (TCRC) and the local units in Transcarpathia due to systemic violations and dubious personnel decisions. In the Western Operational Command, they stated their readiness to assist with the inspections.

Demand for inspections and personnel scandal: Dmytro Lubínets stated that there are numerous human rights violations and corruption risks in the Transcarpathian regional TCRC, which have been documented since 2023 year. According to him, after law enforcement exposed abuses, instead of correcting the situation there began information attacks on the Ombudsperson Institution. The official’s singled-out outrage was caused by the scheme for appointing the head of the regional center. The head of the institution, after dismissal and searches by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), was returned to work in an acting capacity, with this term continually extended. “A person is seemingly dismissed – but then returns to the same post. This is no longer a coincidence. It is a question that requires a clear answer,” Lubinets emphasized. The ombudsperson sent a request to the leadership of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the Ministry of Defense, the State Bureau of Investigation, the Security Service, the National Police, and the Prosecutor General’s Office, demanding: to stop the practice of continually appointing “acting” officials; to provide a legal assessment of the actions of the Transcarpathian Regional TCRC head; to conduct a broad audit of the heads of all district TCRCs in the region. Response from the Western Operational Command: In the Western Command, they noted that they treat the ombudsperson’s work with respect and support the need to respond to confirmed violations. All the highlighted circumstances will be checked in the manner provided by law. “The Western Operational Command does not tolerate any manifestations of corruption and is interested in ensuring legality and respect for citizens’ rights and freedoms,” the Western Command stressed. The command added that officials are ready to provide all necessary materials to competent authorities, and conclusions will be based solely on established facts. The situation with TCRC inspections: Monitoring visits by the Office of the Ombudsperson for Human Rights to recruitment centers continue across the country. As a result of previous inspections in various regions of Ukraine, law enforcement agencies have already initiated a number of criminal proceedings regarding abuse of official powers and corrupt actions by TCRC personnel.

Scandals around TCRC in Ukraine: It should be recalled that violations in the operation of recruitment centers remain one of the most resonant topics. According to the Ombudsperson’s Office, in terms of the number of complaints about possible unlawful actions by TCRC workers, the first place in the country is occupied by the Odesa region, where up to 500 complaints have been registered since the start of the year. Meanwhile, in the regions themselves, court investigations into official abuses continue. In particular, in Transcarpathia, a former head of the Mukachevo TCRC and his subordinate were taken into custody. According to the investigation, former officials unlawfully removed men from military accounting, profiting from this scheme.