Ukrainian Prime Minister Serhiy Koretsky made a resonant statement during a session of the Verkhovna Rada regarding the fate of the nationalized Sense Bank. The head of government reported that the Ministry of Finance has received a "clear instruction" to accelerate the process of selling the state-owned financial institution. The statement came against the backdrop of recent publications by anti-corruption bodies, which have once again drawn public attention to the situation surrounding the bank, reports RBC-Ukraine.
Instruction to the Ministry of Finance and the role of the National Bank
According to Koretsky, accelerating the sale is not an end in itself, but the final stage of a multi-step process. "Regarding Sense Bank, there is a clear instruction for the Ministry of Finance to accelerate the sale of the bank. Before that, the Ministry of Finance, together with the National Bank, must resolve all accumulated problems," emphasized the Prime Minister. Thus, the regulator and the ministry must first remove accumulated legal, operational, and reputational barriers before the bank is put on the market. Experts note that without a coordinated position from the NBU, any sale transaction could be challenged or blocked at the stage of approving licensing and supervisory conditions.
Financial aspect: funds for the needs of the Defense Forces
Separately, Koretsky and a number of specialized media outlets (including TSN and Odessa-Life) emphasized that the proceeds from the sale of Sense Bank will be directed to finance the needs of the Defense Forces of Ukraine. This turns the privatization of the bank not only into a measure to revitalize the banking sector but also into a tool for military-financial support of the state in the context of the ongoing conflict. Such linking of income from the sale of state assets to the defense budget has already been applied in Ukraine previously and, according to analysts, increases the political stability of the privatization process.
Personnel changes at "Naftogaz": transparent competition after the heating season
In the same speech, the Prime Minister touched upon the issue of changing the leadership of "Naftogaz of Ukraine". Koretsky stated that a new head of the company should be selected based on the results of a transparent competition, and he called the appointment of a new head after the end of the heating season the optimal scenario. "A transparent competition must be announced. In the ideal format — so that a new head appears already after the heating season, to stably pass the current period," summarized the head of government. Such logic is aimed at avoiding a change in management during a critical period for energy security and giving the new leadership the opportunity to calmly build a strategy.
Context and market expectations
The Prime Minister's statement was perceived by the market as a signal that the privatization process of Sense Bank is moving from the preparation stage to the stage of active implementation. At the same time, the key condition remains the "unblocking" of accumulated problems jointly with the NBU — without this, according to market participants, potential investors will not be ready for negotiations. The next step, as expected, will be the publication by the Ministry of Finance of the privatization roadmap and the determination of the transaction format (stock swap, package sale, or strategic investment).
