KYIV — Ukraine's justice minister was removed from office Wednesday as part of an investigation into a $100 million kickback scandal in the country's energy sector that has sparked public ire and touched the heartstrings. leadership of the country during the war.
German Galushchenko was removed from office a day after anti-corruption authorities said they had exposed a scheme allegedly involving a close associate. President Vladimir Zelensky and a former deputy prime minister nicknamed “Che Guevara.”
The investigation threatened a high-profile confrontation over long-standing problem of bribery in Ukraine as he fights to maintain Western support his fight with Russiawhich unleashed waves of attacks on its neighbor's energy infrastructure.
Five people were arrested and seven more were placed under suspicion, according to a statement Tuesday by the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAP).
A “high-level criminal organization” saw current and former officials and businessmen allegedly receive benefits and launder money through State energy company of the country “Energoatom”authorities said.
Among the accused The person involved in the case is Timur Mindich, a businessman associated with Zelensky, SAP prosecutor Sergei Savitsky said at a court hearing on Tuesday.
Savitsky said Mindic's “criminal activities in the energy sector were established as a result of his influence” on Galushchenko, the justice minister who served as energy minister until July.
Mindic is a co-owner of the TV company Kvartal 95, which Zelensky founded when he was an actor and comedian before becoming president. In a statement, the studio distanced itself from the allegations, saying Mindic “has no involvement” in the company's operations “and has no influence on the team's content or decisions.”
Galushchenko, who has not been arrested, said in a statement that he agreed with the government's decision to suspend him “pending the investigation” and called it a “civilized and expedient scenario.”
“I will defend myself legally and prove my position,” he added.
His suspension was announced in a statement by Prime Minister Yulia Sviridenko, who gave no details of what exactly he is accused of or his alleged role in the wider scheme.
In a separate statement, NABU said that this “criminal organization transferred funds to an unnamed former deputy prime minister of Ukraine, who is known internally as Che Guevara.”
Detectives said they discovered that about $1.2 million had been transferred to the man, the last $500,000 of which was sent to his wife after he came under investigation.
According to NABU and SAP, the corruption scheme consisted of forcing Energoatom contractors to pay an illegal commission of 10-15%, otherwise they risk losing their supplier status.
“Using their official connections in the ministry and state-owned companies,” the suspects “provided control over personnel decisions, procurement processes and financial flows,” the anti-corruption agencies said in a statement.
Zelenexy said in a statement Monday that “convictions must be made” for anyone found guilty of corruption and that government officials “must work together” with anti-corruption agencies.
In the summer Zelensky was met with international criticism and rare public protests. following raids against a prominent anti-corruption campaigner and a parliamentary bill, later withdrawn, that would have limited the powers of anti-corruption agencies.
Energoatom said in a statement on Tuesday that the story had not affected its financial condition or operational safety.
“Energoatom has been and remains the backbone of Ukraine’s energy system; together with our partners, we ensure the reliable operation of nuclear energy facilities and the uninterrupted supply of electricity for the needs of Ukraine,” the statement says.
Ukraine has made progress in combating its chronic corruption problem, especially since Zelensky made this a central point of his 2019 election manifesto.. But the country is still grappling with the problem at high levels of government and business.
In last week's reportThe European Commission has praised Ukraine's attempts to tackle wartime corruption but warned that its “limited progress” is jeopardizing its long-term hopes of joining the European Union.
Reports of growing government pressure on anti-corruption groups “call into question Ukraine’s commitment to its anti-corruption program,” the report said, while warning that Ukraine must “avoid any setback in its notable reform achievements.”
