Arseniy Yatsenyuk: Volunteers who have joined the MIA should become the basis for KORD

Volunteers who have joined the Ministry of Internal Affairs constitute the basis Ukraine’s police rapid response unit should be formed on, as well as special purpose subdivisions of the National Guard of Ukraine, stressed Prime Minister of Ukraine Arseniy Yatsenyuk on Tuesday, October 20, during a meeting of the Board of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine summoned to tackle readiness of the internal affairs’ agencies to ensure law and order during the local elections.

The Prime Minister noted that the new National Police is the new face of Ukrainian law-enforcement system and "a new attitude of law enforcement agencies to the citizens of Ukraine".

He reminded that the new police had already commenced service in a number of cities. Other cities have announced an enrolment process to join the police: "We have to continue this process. It should reach every city, village and township. Including through forming of local inspectors, who should represent the National Police in remote parts of the country and protect the citizens of Ukraine serving for the good of the Ukrainian people".

The Prime Minister stressed the need to continue upgrading the National Guard and forming of the police rapid response unit. The establishment of Ukrainian KORD special police force and further retrofitting of the National Guard "should primarily base on strong people that we have," said the Head of Government.

Arseniy Yatsenyuk appealed to the leadership of the special battalions: "The volunteers who have joined the MIA should become the basis for KORD and relevant special subdivisions of the National Guard of Ukraine".

"You were fighting, your experience is precious for the country and each of you is needed to the Ukrainian people", he said.

"Whoever wants to serve in the National Police and passes the tests will be hired - there’ll be a place for everyone," he emphasized, noting that this applies both to MIA special battalion representatives and current police officers: "But an essential thing is to understand that the new Ukrainian police follows completely different standards, has another attitude towards citizens and a different liability to the country."

"The citizens believe the new police. And that trust is costly. One should not just preserve it, but support it with the daily hard work," said Arseniy Yatsenyuk.