Arseniy Yatsenyuk asks Batkivshchyna Party to consider the issues of Ecology Minister Ihor Shevchenko's remaining in his position

Prime Minister of Ukraine Arseniy Yatsenyuk has asked the parliamentary faction of Batkivshchyna party to consider the issue of Ihor Shevchenko’s remaining in office and take a responsible political decision, which should be approved by the parliamentary coalition, adviser to the Prime Minister Ukraine Danylo Lubkivsky said this on Monday, June 22.

He informed that on June 17 Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk received a request signed by the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine concerning the statement of MPs of Ukraine on the presence of corruption offenses in the actions of Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources of Ukraine Ihor Shevchenko, demanding to submit for consideration to the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine the dismissal from his office.

On the same day, according to the adviser to the Prime Minister, the PM gave urgent orders to the National Agency for Civil Service and other authorities to check facts for the presence of corruption offenses in the actions of the Minister of Ecology during a trip abroad by a charter flight by using a private aircraft, and for compliance with the requirements of legislation in the Minister’s actions.

Danylo Lubkivsky reported that on June 18 the National Agency for Civil Service informed the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine on the finding the fact that Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources of Ukraine Ihor Shevchenko on June 6, 2015 left Kyiv airport to Dresden by flight TCTKN and, on June 8, 2015, he returned in Airport Kyiv from Nice by flight PHARO.

"The Prime Minister of Ukraine possesses information about the personal confirmation by Ihor Shevchenko of charter flights on a private plane," said Danylo Lubkivsky.

The advisor to the Prime Minister has stressed that the last time this is the third test, carried out on behalf of Arseniy Yatsenyuk for compliance with the Law of Ukraine "On civil service", the anti-corruption laws and other normative acts on the civil service in the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of Ukraine.

According to the results of the inspections, in January, 2015 the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources was in the United Arab Emirates for private purposes without a relevant permission. On weekdays from 5 to 7 May this year he was again abroad without the permission of the Prime Minister of Ukraine, Danylo Lubkivsky stated.

According to the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, in accordance with Articles 22 and 23 of the Law of Ukraine "On Prevention of Corruption", the Ministers may not use their authority or position and the associated opportunities to obtain undue advantage for themselves or other persons and are prohibited to accept gifts directly or through other persons for themselves or persons close to them from any legal entity or individual.

Members of the Cabinet of Ministers can be dismissed by the Parliament for corruption offensives or violation of the behavior of persons authorized to perform state functions (prohibition of the use of official position for personal gain, conflict of interest, etc.), Danylo Lubkivsky noted.

"The Prime Minister Ukraine believes that the circumstances that include the following features are direct political, managerial and ethical risks for the coalition of parliamentary factions that formed the current composition of the Government of Ukraine", the advisor to the Prime Minister underlined.

He emphasized that Ihor Shevchenko was appointed as a Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources of Ukraine as part of Batkivshchyna political party’s quota in the Parliament.

"Prime Minister of Ukraine Arseniy Yatsenyuk asks the parliamentary faction of Batkivschyna Party to consider the issue of Ihor Shevchenko’s staying in office and take a responsible political decision, which should be approved by the parliamentary coalition", Arseniy Yatsenyuk’s advisor pointed out.

"Political parties should be responsible for their delegated representatives. That is the position of Prime Minister of Ukraine", he said.

"Arseniy Yatsenyuk urges the political party All-Ukrainian Union "Batkivshchyna" and all partners within the coalition to act under direct political responsibility, to comply with national legislation and universally recognized European practices. Any breach of the national legislation, anti-corruption requirements or ethical standards at work must result in the dismissal of a relevant Member of the Government," Danylo Lubkivsky emphasized.