Justice minister reportedly wants to resign (02/20/05)

Justice minister reportedly wants to resign

Interfax-Ukraine

KYIV - Justice Minister of Ukraine Roman Zvarych said he wants to resign from his post, however, it was still unknown as of Thursday evening, February 17, if he had submitted his official written resignation.

The minister's decision "is possibly linked to some of the latest decisions of the government in the fuel and energy sphere," an informed source in the Cabinet of Ministers told Interfax-Ukraine. Earlier some mass media had reported that Mr. Zvarych had submitted his resignation.

On February 17, Minister Zvarych said in an interview with Channel 5 TV: "I won't tolerate that some businessmen, who also work in Ukraine's Parliament and have powerful positions in the sphere of oil processing, directly interfere in the work of my agency."

"And, secondly, I would not tolerate that certain members of the government are trying to involve members of my family in corruption schemes," he added.

President Viktor Yushchenko said he regards the intention of Justice Minister Zvarych to resign as a problem of the new government's formation and growth, said Iryna Heraschenko, the presidential press secretary.

She said the president knows the situation behind the minister's decision. "Viktor Yushchenko also pointed out that officials must show professionalism in their work and team spirit," she said. "To reach a mutual understanding is a task of the team and, first and foremost, the task of the government head," Ms. Heraschenko quoted President Yushchenko as saying.

Vice Prime Minister for Humanitarian Policy Mykola Tomenko said he believes the discussions on the justice minister's possible resignation may be connected to a governmental decree of February 16 banning oil re-exports.

"According to experts, oil re-exports may affect the price on the internal market, lead to fuel price hikes, reduce revenues to the national budget, and cause serious problems in relations with Russia and the EU [European Union]. The decree suspending the oil re-exports was backed by the Cabinet unanimously. At the same time, Justice Minister Zvarych resolutely opposed the governmental decree," Mr. Tomenko told Interfax-Ukraine on Thursday, February 17.

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