Position: Head of the Transport and Communications Department of the Volyn Regional State Administration.
(On August 25, 2021, this position in the Regional State Administration was eliminated).
The sphere of corrupt activity: passenger transportation, state procurement.
Region of corruption activity: Volyn region.
Qualification: Article 3. 368 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. Receiving a bribe in a particularly large amount or by an official who holds a particularly responsible position. It is punishable by deprivation of liberty for a term of eight to twelve years, with deprivation of the right to hold certain positions or engage in certain activities for a term of up to three years, and with confiscation of property.
Status: at large.
The plot of the case: Natalia Ostapkovich was detained on March 10, 2021 while receiving a bribe. According to the investigation, the woman demanded money from a private entrepreneur, namely 1,500 US dollars for a "positive resolution of the issue" regarding the granting of preferences during the transportation tender.
On March 12, 2021, officials reported the suspicion. The case was brought to court in June 2021.
On August 25, 2021, the Department of Transport and Communications, which was headed by Ostapkovich, was liquidated in the Volyn Regional State Administration - it was attached to the Department of Infrastructure of the Regional State Administration.
On September 2, 2021, the official did not appear at the court session. The court received a motion from Natalia Ostapkovich to postpone the hearing of the case due to illness.
In September 2023, local mass media wrote that the Ostapkovich case continues to be considered in the Lutsk City and District Court.
Witnesses are still being interrogated: those people who cooperated with Natalia Ostapkovich.
During the court session, Nataliya Ostapkovich's defense attorney requested to add the statement of the witness who was questioned at the last session to the case materials.
This is Nataliya Pivovar, who acted as the head of the transport department after the dismissal of Nataliya Ostapkovich.
The woman claimed that the law enforcement officer pressured her during the pre-trial investigation, however, in the answers that the lawyer provided to the court along with the witness's statement, it is stated that the fact that the law enforcement officer pressured the witness during the interrogation was not confirmed.
If the ex-perpetrator is found guilty, she faces five to 10 years behind bars.
Persons potentially involved in corruption: it is not known from open sources who could be Ostapkovich's alleged accomplices.
Assets: according to Ostapkovich's 2021 declaration, she owns a residential building (58.2 square meters) and a plot of land (1,500 square meters) in Goloby, Kovel district.
Another plot of land (1,680 square meters) and a residential building with outbuildings (139.5 square meters) in Boratyn, Lutsk district, belong to daughter Sofya.
Nataliya Ostapkovich's income for 2021 reached UAH 159,777 - this is the salary for the main place of work.
According to the declaration, the official has neither a car nor cash.
Scandals: according to the mass media, Volyn carriers repeatedly exposed illegal actions by the former official of the regional state administration, Ostapkovich, because of which even in 2017 they picketed the building of the regional state administration.
And already during the presidency of Volodymyr Zelenskyi, during his visit to Kovel in October 2020, local carriers complained to him about the biased attitude of Ostapkovich, because, according to them, she gave the best routes to people for a fee.
Then the president promised to study the issue.
Individuals who should have responded to corruption schemes during his tenure: In the case of Ostapković, law enforcement officers responded in time and delayed her taking the bribe, however, Ostapković is still at large.
Sources:
Unified state register of declarations