Dear Editor:
Regarding “U.S. officials criticize Ukraine’s prosecutors for failure of reforms” by Zenon Zawada (October 17): this excellent article makes it clear that the Procurator General’s Office (PGO) must be cleansed, or else Ukraine’s efforts to capitalize on the victory of its Maidan and Donbas heroes and move forward is doomed. Bravo to the U.S. officials for pressuring President Petro Poroshenko to do so.
The key indicator of progress in corruption reforms will be the prosecution of Berkut leaders in connection with the murders of the “Nebesna Sotnia” (Heavenly Brigade). Here, Procurator Viktor Shokin must do the right thing, or else resign or be dismissed.
President Poroshenko says the evidence is available at the PGO to prosecute them. Mr. Shokin says the matter has been handled: the guilt lies with Viktor Yanukovych, end of story.
Meanwhile a Svoboda Party member is questioned yet again by Mr. Shokin’s people, while the deputy-commander of the Berkut, arrested in conjunction with the Nebesna Sotnia murders’ is sent home without an electric monitoring bracelet. Why? To let him flee Ukraine like others have done thanks to the PGO?
The people of Ukraine understand this sham clearly and want the matter settled. The responsibility lies with Procurator General Shokin. Or, it’s up to President Poroshenko to dismiss him. Either way, it must be done immediately. The people’s patience is running out.
Ottawa
The letter-writer is a leader of the Canadian Group for Democracy in Ukraine.