Citizens' Appeals

Dear Citizens!

You may submit an inquiry to the Territorial Office of the ESBU in the Lviv region using any of the following convenient methods:

• by mail – to the official address: Territorial Office of the ESBU in the Lviv region, 67 K. Levytskyi Street, Lviv, 79017
• by dropping it in the mailbox located at: 67 K. Levytskyi St., Lviv, 79017
• in person, by prior appointment via phone at +38 (068) 153 05 25 – at the address: 35 Stryiska St., Lviv, 79017
• by email – to the official inbox: lviv@esbu.gov.ua

Download the appeal submission form

• orally – by calling the "hotline" at +38 (032) 297 32 88. Appeals are accepted daily from Monday to Thursday from 09:00 to 18:00, and on Friday from 09:00 to 16:45; lunch break is from 13:00 to 13:45.

If you are unable to submit an appeal in person due to objective reasons (health condition, age restrictions, etc.), your legal representative may do so on your behalf. This representative can be a guardian, a trustee, or an authorized person. To do this, you must provide supporting documents: a power of attorney, and copies of the ID cards of both the applicant and the representative. The submission format remains flexible – written, electronic, or via the website.

The appeal is written in a free-form format but must comply with the requirements of the Law of Ukraine "On Citizens' Appeals."

Whichever method you choose, in your appeal you must:

• state your full name (surname, first name, and patronymic, if applicable) and place of residence;
• outline the essence of the issue, remarks, suggestions, statements, complaints, requests, or demands;
• include the date and signature (electronic appeals sent without an electronic digital signature must be submitted as a scanned copy and/or a photocopy);
• specify a postal or email address for the response, or other contact details.

Appeals submitted without complying with the specified requirements shall be returned to the applicant with relevant explanations no later than 10 days after the date of receipt by the ESBU authorities.

A written appeal without the applicant's place of residence, unsigned by the author(s), or one from which authorship cannot be established, is considered anonymous and will not be reviewed.

The procedure for reviewing citizens' appeals and organizing personal appointments at the Economic Security Bureau of Ukraine and its Territorial Offices was approved by ESBU Order No. 59 dated March 24, 2022, registered with the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine on May 19, 2022, under No. 539/37875.

Scope of Application

• This Procedure applies to citizens' appeals received in written or oral form.
• The provisions of this Procedure do not apply to the consideration of citizens' applications and complaints in the manner prescribed by the Code of Administrative Jurisprudence of Ukraine, criminal procedural, civil procedural, and labor legislation, legislation on the protection of economic competition, and the Laws of Ukraine "On the Judiciary and the Status of Judges," "On Access to Court Decisions," "On Prevention of Corruption," and "On Enforcement Proceedings."
• Statements and notifications regarding the commission of criminal and/or corruption offenses are reviewed by the ESBU authorities in accordance with the requirements of criminal procedural legislation, the Law of Ukraine "On Prevention of Corruption," and the organizational and administrative documents of the ESBU.
• Complaints against the decisions, acts, or omissions of an ESBU detective during a pre-trial investigation are reviewed in the manner and within the scope provided by criminal procedural legislation, taking into account the decisions and conclusions of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine.
• Appeals from persons regarding pre-trial investigation matters who are not parties to criminal proceedings are reviewed in the manner and within the timeframes prescribed by the legislation on citizens' appeals.
• Appeals from convicted persons serving sentences in correctional facilities are reviewed in accordance with the requirements of the Criminal Executive Code of Ukraine, the Law of Ukraine "On Citizens' Appeals," and this Procedure.
• Appeals from persons who are not citizens of Ukraine but are legally staying on its territory are reviewed in the same manner as appeals from citizens of Ukraine, unless otherwise provided by international treaties.
• The procedure for reviewing citizens' requests for information, the publication of public information, and the reimbursement by requesters of costs for copying or printing document copies is carried out in accordance with the Laws of Ukraine "On Access to Public Information" and "On Protection of Personal Data."
• A request for information submitted under the Law of Ukraine "On Access to Public Information" which, by its content, combines subjects regulated by both the Law of Ukraine "On Citizens' Appeals" and the Law of Ukraine "On Access to Public Information," shall be reviewed in its respective parts within the timeframes and in the manner prescribed by the relevant laws.

Responsible Persons

The document flow and control department of the Territorial Office of the ESBU in the Lviv region is responsible for the reception and registration of appeals, as well as for organizing personal appointments – specifically, the Chief Specialist of the Department, Lidiia Palamarenko.

Email: lviv@esbu.gov.ua

Phone: +38 (032) 297 32 88

Timeframe for consideration of appeals

• 1 month from the date of receipt, including weekends, public holidays, and non-working days;
• 15 days – for urgent appeals (those requiring no additional study);
• up to 45 days – if the issues raised cannot be resolved within the one-month period. The head of the authority may establish an extended timeframe for reviewing such an appeal. The applicant shall be notified of this.

Upon a reasoned written request from a citizen, the timeframe for consideration may be shortened.

Appeals that do not fall within the competence of the ESBU are forwarded to the appropriate authority within 5 days, with notification sent to the applicant.

To inquire about the results of an appeal sent to the Territorial Office of the ESBU in the Lviv region, you may call the information line for citizens' appeals: +38 (032) 297 32 88, Monday – Thursday from 09:00 to 18:00, Friday from 09:00 to 16:45, lunch break from 13:00 to 13:45.

Rights of a citizen during the consideration of an application or complaint

• personally present arguments to the person verifying the application or complaint, and participate in the verification of the submitted complaint or application;
• familiarize oneself with the verification materials;
• submit additional materials or insist on their request by the authority considering the application or complaint;
• be present during the consideration of the application or complaint;
• use the services of a lawyer or a representative of a labor collective or an organization performing a human rights function, having formalized this authorization in the manner established by law;
• receive a written response about the results of the consideration of the application or complaint;
• orally or in writing express the requirement to maintain the confidentiality of the consideration of the application or complaint;
• demand compensation for damages, if they resulted from violations of the established procedure for considering appeals.

Appealing the actions or omissions of state authorities and their officials

The ESBU has the right to refuse a citizen's request set forth in an application. The decision to refuse is communicated to the citizen in writing, with reference to the Law and a statement of the reasons for refusal, as well as an explanation of the procedure for appealing the decision.

A citizen has the right to appeal decisions, actions (omissions) as a result of which:

- the rights, legal interests, or freedoms of a citizen (or group of citizens) have been violated;

- obstacles have been created to the exercise of a citizen's rights, legal interests, or freedoms;

- any duties have been unlawfully imposed on a citizen, or they have been unlawfully held liable.

A complaint against a decision being appealed may be submitted to a higher-level authority or official within one year from the date of its adoption, but no later than one month from the time the citizen became acquainted with the adopted decision. Complaints submitted in violation of the specified timeframe shall not be considered. A deadline missed for a valid reason may be reinstated by the authority or official reviewing the complaint.

The decision of a higher state authority that reviewed the complaint may, in the event of the citizen's disagreement with it, be appealed in court within the timeframe prescribed by the legislation of Ukraine.

In addition to a higher-level authority, a complaint may be submitted to an authority that monitors compliance with the Law, in particular to the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights.