You're reading: Ukraine preparing to reform SBU and NSDC

The new Ukrainian authorities are planning to reform certain elements of the governance system, including the Security Service, Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council Secretary Oleksandr Danylyuk said.

“We have a security sector reform on our agenda. Without reforming the Security Service, any other reforms make absolutely no sense, because the Security Service has been historically integrated into multiple processes,” Danylyuk said in a televised interview.

“The Security Service should become a powerful organization, but in one key field; namely, counterintelligence. The Security Service should be deprived of other functions it has, including economic matters and efforts against corruption,” he said.

“Our international partners and the president actively support all of this,” Danylyuk said.

“A lot will have to be changed to make these reforms a reality; in particular, legislative amendments will have to be made,” he said.

“I have set up a group to work on [bills], and we are moving ahead very quickly. I know that we already have a bill, but, for some reason, our partners, such as, for example, NATO, do not approve of it. And our experts don’t support it for some reason, either. Why? Because this legislation would leave the Security Service’s work unchanged. We don’t need such bills. I am convinced that the Security Service and our Ukrainian and Western partners should be engaged in drawing up bills. This is exactly what is happening now,” Danylyuk said.