Founding Meeting of the SBU Public Council

On 10 July 2006 a founding session was held of the Public Consultative Council on national security issues. This council will begin practical work of a  public expert structure as a tool for democratic civil control over the activities of the Ukrainian Security Service (SBU).

This project is applying the experience of European democracies, where mechanisms exist for public control over the activities of law enforcement agencies and real influence of the public on various processes.

In his opening address the Head of the SBU Igor Drizhchany said that such public institutions would be a considerable step towards achieving open and transparent policy in reforming the state sector, outlined by President Viktor Yushchenko, including one of its components – the SBU.

The Public Council includes well-known and authoritative politicians, public figures and independent experts, for example the President of the National Academy for State Management Vera Nanivska, State Deputies from the fourth session Georgy Kriuchkov and Viktor Musiyaka, Chief Editor of “Dzerkalo tyzhnia” [“The Weekly Mirror”, Volodymyr Mostovy and other well-known representatives of society.

The newly created Public Council will focus on promoting solutions to issues involving ensuring national security, observance of laws, rights and freedoms of citizens, consolidation of the principles of democracy and the rule of law.

Public assessment and suggestions regarding prominent events connected with the activities of law enforcement agencies will be heard by the USS officials and taken into account in the process of reforming the security service and the whole sector of national security.

Press Centre of the Security Service of Ukraine