President’s office silent on costs of Yermak’s U.S. trip, violating access to information

Source: Bukvy

On December 8, 2024, Bukvy submitted an official inquiry to the Office of the President of Ukraine, requesting details about the costs of Andriy Yermak’s recent visit to the United States.

President Zelensky’s top aide accompanied a Ukrainian delegation led by Minister of Economy Yuliia Svyrydenko during a December 4 trip, which saw the Ukrainian officials holding meetings with representatives of Donald Trump’s team, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, and bipartisan members of the Senate and Congress.

In its request, Bukvy sought clarification on the following points:

• Was a presidential fleet aircraft used for Yermak’s visit? If so, which one?
• Did the delegation’s aircraft land at a U.S. military airbase?
• Which cities did the delegation visit?
• Where and for how long did the delegation stay in the U.S.?
• How much was spent on organizing and conducting the trip?

Under Ukraine’s Access to Public Information law, public authorities are obligated to respond to such requests within five working days. However, as of the evening of December 16, the President’s Office was tight-lipped failing to provide any response or addressing the questions raised.

Failure to reply requests like this violates Ukrainian law and may result in administrative penalties. Article 212-3 of Ukraine’s Code of Administrative Offenses stipulates fines ranging from 25 to 50 non-taxable minimum incomes for such violations.