After an audit that found losses of UAH 1.67 million: "Mykolaivpastrans" will undergo an 8-month integrity assessment

Procurements, funds and communal property: an audit has begun at "Mykolaivpastrans"

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11 Sep 2026

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In Mykolaiv on 11 September 2026, an independent integrity assessment of the municipal enterprise “Mykolaivpastrans” began. Over the next 8 months, international experts will examine how the enterprise is managed, conducts procurements, uses community property and funds, organizes transport services and communicates with passengers. After that the city is expected to receive concrete recommendations and a roadmap for changes.

The assessment is being conducted with the support of the European Union Anti-Corruption Initiative (EUACI). The international consulting company Civitta, which operates in 22 countries and unites over 700 specialists and contractors, has been engaged in the work.

The experts are to analyze the main processes of “Mykolaivpastrans”: enterprise management, public procurement, asset use, provision of transport services, corporate governance and communication.

At the same time, an integrity assessment is not a criminal investigation or an audit by the State Audit Service. The EUACI methodology is designed to assess the transparency, accountability and managerial maturity of a municipal enterprise, identify weak spots and corruption risks, and prepare concrete measures to minimize them. The methodology includes separate sectoral criteria for transport enterprises.

For Mykolaiv this is not the first such assessment. Previously, MKE “Mykolaivvodokanal”, KP “Mykolaivelektrotrans” and OKP “Mykolaivoblteploenerho” went through this process. The assessment of “Mykolaivvodokanal” covered 87 indicators in 9 key areas, including general and corporate governance, finance, procurement, asset management, HR policy, ethics, communications and services.

Later, PwC Ukraine conducted independent assessments of “Mykolaivelektrotrans” and “Mykolaivoblteploenerho”. Based on those results, risk minimization plans and specific measures for 2026 were developed for the enterprises.

The city authorities cite “Mykolaivvodokanal” as an example of practical results from this approach. After the procurement procedures were updated with expert support from EUACI, the enterprise saved UAH 40 million in 2025. Of that amount, UAH 25 million was saved on goods procurement thanks to better planning and increased competition, and another UAH 15 million came from reduced estimated costs of works after introducing a new methodology to determine market prices for materials.

The assessment of “Mykolaivpastrans” starts against the background of previously identified problems in the enterprise’s operations. In August 2026, the State Audit Service published the results of an audit of the municipal enterprise’s activities for 2022–2025. Auditors reported violations that led to losses of financial and material resources totaling more than UAH 1.67 million. In particular, they noted excessive reimbursements for concessionary fares and schoolchildren transportation. The audit materials were handed over to the Mykolaiv Regional Prosecutor’s Office.

Already in April 2026, the new management of “Mykolaivpastrans” publicly described the enterprise’s problematic state. At that time it was reported that of 70 buses, only 35 went out on routes daily, while another 19 required repairs. Management also reported the absence of full accounting of passenger flows, concessionary trips and proper control over fuel. The enterprise closed 2025 with losses.

Already in April 2026, the executive committee approved a KPI system for “Mykolaivpastrans”. Among the targets are reducing the cost per passenger to UAH 16.08, bus deviations from the schedule of approximately 2–3 minutes, a share of cancelled trips no greater than 0–1%, salon occupancy of 70–80%, and 97% of transport accessible to people with disabilities.

Now the independent team must determine how well the enterprise’s internal processes align with the principles of transparent and effective management, and after 8 months of work propose a concrete plan of changes. For residents, the main outcome of this work should not be the assessment on paper, but a clear answer: are the community’s funds being spent efficiently and will bus service become noticeably better for passengers.