ADVERTISEMENT
Join the UABA Convention 2010 in Disney World
Posted by Leonid Kuchma fired Svyatoslav Pyskun on October 29, 2003 at 22:12:04:
Thursday, Oct. 30, 2003. Page 2
Kuchma Dismisses Prosecutor for Failing to Cope With Graft
Reuters KIEV -- Ukraine's President Leonid Kuchma fired the prosecutor general on Wednesday following a wave of criticism of his failure to stamp out graft in the country rated as one of the world's most corrupt countries.
Olena Hromnytska, Kuchma's spokeswoman, said the president had signed a decree to sack Svyatoslav Pyskun, who was appointed just over a year ago. She gave no other details.
Senior officials from Ukraine's corruption watchdog called on Kuchma earlier on Wednesday to sack Pyskun, accusing him of failing to achieve any notable success in tackling corruption.
"We suggested to the president that he sack Prosecutor General Svyatoslav Pyskun because he violated several laws and carried out disgraceful actions," Olha Kolinko, head of the watchdog committee, was quoted by Interfax-Ukraine news agency as saying.
The committee, grouping senior officials from the prosecutors' office, tax authorities, SBU secret service and the Interior Ministry, also accused Pyskun of abusing his power, promoting his own political image and misusing budget funds.
Pyskun was not immediately available for comment on Wednesday, but has previously denied the allegations and said he was doing his best to stamp out corruption.
Ukraine, which will neighbor the European Union when Poland, Hungary and Slovakia join next year, is rated as one of the most corrupt states in the world by Berlin-based graft watchdog Transparency International.
Promises to battle corruption are a perennial theme in public affairs but little has been done in a country where the black economy is about the same size as the official one and capital flight is common.
Pyskun has been also criticized by opposition parties for his inability to investigate Ukraine's most notorious case -- the murder of reporter Heorhiy Gongadze in 2000, who had been critical of Kuchma and other senior officials.