The Verkhovna Rada has decided to invite the head of the National Bank of Ukraine, Andrii Pyshny, to provide clarifications regarding the incident surrounding monobank, which arose due to the disclosure of a client’s personal data during the verification process. The initiative to hear from the NBU leader was supported by 153 members of parliament. It is expected that Andrii Pyshny will speak in the session hall on March 26 at 12:00 PM.
This is reported by Finway
Background of the monobank scandal
The incident gained attention after Oleg Horokhovskyi, co-founder of monobank, published a photograph of a client on social media, taken during her video identification. In his post, he accused the woman of pro-Russian views, as a flag visible in the background of the photo was mistaken by bank representatives for a Russian flag. Additionally, Horokhovskyi sarcastically noted that the client was denied service due to her “unwashed hair.”
“Horokhovskyi and the bank employees took it for a flag of Russia. In his post, the co-founder sarcastically mentioned that the client was denied service due to her unwashed hair.”
The client’s explanation and public reaction
Shortly after, the client herself, Karina Kolb, responded to the situation. She explained that she was abroad and that the flag against which she was identified was actually Slovenian, which differs from the Russian flag by having a coat of arms on the left side. The situation sparked active discussions on social media, particularly regarding the permissibility of disclosing personal data of bank clients.
In response to accusations of violating banking secrecy, Oleg Horokhovskyi stated that individuals with pro-Russian positions cannot expect protection of personal data in Ukraine. He also dismissed claims that the flag in the photo was not a Russian flag. Later, the co-founder of monobank assured clients that their personal data remains secure.
The National Bank of Ukraine has approached Oleg Horokhovskyi for explanations regarding the dissemination of the client’s photograph and her accusations of pro-Russian views. Following the incident, pre-trial demands were made against Horokhovskyi and JSC “Universal Bank” to resolve the dispute regarding the protection of Karina Kolb’s rights. The parliament now expects a detailed report from the head of the NBU regarding the regulator’s actions and planned measures to prevent similar situations in the future.