10.04.2026
Energy policy, regulation, and law expert Svitlana Holikova provided a deep analysis of the Regulator’s evolution in Ukraine during a panel discussion at Energy Club. Having worked in this field since 1996, she called for a focus on procedural integrity in decision-making rather than ephemeral slogans.
Svitlana Holikova recalled that despite legislative attempts to make the Regulator independent, it has historically remained under the influence of the presidential vertical.
“I have been in this circle since 1996, practically from the very beginning when NEURC was established. Every new president changed the Regulator’s composition. Literally as soon as they came into office, they would appoint the people they needed. If it wasn’t possible to change the composition, they simply changed the legal entity: liquidated one commission, created a new one, or merged them,” the speaker noted.
According to the expert, the true independence of the institution is based on financial autonomy and the impossibility of administrative revocation of its acts. However, the key protection for Commission members is not status, but strict adherence to rules.
“How can a Regulator be protected? Only by procedures. Procedures and rules. As for the rest, excuse me, political pressure—it will remain. I believe the key word in the law should not be ‘independence,’ but ‘regulation.’ Transparent, clear, and well-founded decisions regarding regulation in the presence of a market or markets,” Svitlana Holikova emphasized.
The speaker expressed a critical view regarding current competitive selection procedures, noting that they do not always guarantee the selection of the best specialists.
“From my own experience, I would even say something somewhat provocative about the recent competitions. They showed that it would be better if the Government appointed these NEURC members and took full responsibility. We shouldn’t focus only on populist solutions, such as attempting to structure things so ‘bad’ people aren’t appointed and ‘good’ ones are recruited. It doesn’t always work,” she explained.
Concluding her speech, Svitlana Holikova highlighted the uniqueness of the challenges the Ukrainian Regulator is currently overcoming and its role in the future European context.
“Does our Regulator need to be an example for European ones? I believe we are walking a path where we will eventually show European regulators how to work during wartime and what needs to be avoided,” the expert concluded.
