Ukrainian President’s Aide Denies Ordering Criminal Case Against Minister

Text of report by Interfax-Ukraine news agency

Kiev, 24 January: The head of the Ukrainian president’s secretariat, Viktor Baloha, has denied the statement of Transport and Communications Minister Mykola Rudkovskyy about an instruction allegedly signed by the head of the secretariat and issued to the Security Service to instigate criminal proceedings against the minister, the presidential press service has reported.

“There has been no instruction. The Security Service of Ukraine is independent in taking decisions on instigating criminal proceedings against anyone who has violated the law, and the special services need to receive no directives,” Baloha said.

Baloha also views as inadmissible the wording and tone of the statements Rudkovskyy made today regarding the Ukrainian president [Viktor Yushchenko].

“A member of the government, who is under an in-house investigation for abuse of power under orders from the prime minister, should think of presenting the public true evidence to explain his actions. Instead, Mykola Rudkovskyy has resorted to untrue statements and inappropriate comparisons. He should mind his words when speaking about a particular person. Especially if it is the first person in the country,” Baloha said.

Rudkovskyy said earlier that Baloha had instructed the Security Service to instigate criminal proceedings against him.

[Rudkovskyy asked Ukrainian diplomats to issue visas for Turkmen opposition leaders Hudayberdi Orazow and Nurmuhammet Hanamow in December 2006. Their visit to Kiev caused official protests from the Turkmen authorities.]

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