Holovko Valeriy Anatoliyovych

Former Head of Poltava Regional State Administration from "Batkivshchyna"

Valeriy Holovko is a People's Deputy of the VII convocation from "Batkivshchyna" and former governor of Poltava region, whose managerial career ended with a criminal investigation by the NABU. An economist by education, from 2010 to 2012 he was a member of Yatsenyuk's "Front for Change." In 2012, he was elected to the Verkhovna Rada from "Batkivshchyna" as an independent. On December 26, 2014, he was appointed by the president as head of the Poltava Regional State Administration.

176 thousand euros for winning a tender

The NABU investigation established that in August 2017, the head of the Poltava Regional State Administration, with the assistance of the first deputy and an advisor, requested and received from an entrepreneur an undue benefit in an especially large amount — 176 thousand euros (over 5 million hryvnias). For this money, Holovko promised to ensure the entrepreneur's companies' victory in public procurements of the regional administration, the conclusion of contracts for the operational maintenance of roads, and payment from the regional budget.

Cars, valuables, and ordered groceries

NABU found that Holovko, together with first deputy Pisotskyi, advisor Litvinov, and director of the construction department Holban, created a criminal scheme of extorting bribes from entrepreneurs to secure their victory in public procurements. The owner of the company servicing Poltava roads publicly stated that he gifted a car to the governor, repeatedly gave bribes, paid for vacations, and delivered equipment and groceries ordered by officials. Holovko denied these accusations.

10.4 million hryvnias bail and protracted investigation

In November 2022, NABU and SAP officially announced charges against Holovko. The Appeals Chamber of the High Anti-Corruption Court increased the bail from 6 to 10.4 million hryvnias. The court extended the terms of the investigation three times during 2023–2024. The case is still not concluded by a judicial verdict.

According to media reports, Holovko traded positions with the help of his apparatus head Mykola Bilokon — selling positions of 16 heads of district state administrations. Residents of Poltava repeatedly held protests against his actions.