The closer the snap elections get, the more eagerness we see among those competing for a place in the sun every day. A striking example of this is the Chernihiv region, where representatives of the newly formed "Petro Poroshenko Bloc" have begun to attack their recent coalition allies, the Batkivshchyna party, which currently governs the region. Local prosecutors have also come under fire: they have been accused of dismissing criminal cases to please those in power.
The "Indictment" of MP Atroshenko
Recently, several media outlets published an open statement by MP Vladislav Atroshenko regarding the situation in the Chernihiv region. The essence of this opus, which reads more like a court indictment, can be summarized as follows: Batkivshchyna Party protégé Volodymyr Ivashko has driven the region under his charge to the brink of ruin.
According to MP Atroshenko, funding for social infrastructure construction in the Chernihiv region has ceased, wage arrears are among the highest in the country, and regional authorities have simply ignored the problems of local ATO participants.
It's strange that Atroshenko, who was in Ivashko's shoes back in 2005, doesn't know that one of the least populous regions can't possibly be the leader in terms of unpaid wages. Apparently, basic mathematical skills are completely unnecessary for yesterday's governor and today's MP.
Elections, elections, candidates…
However, Atroshenko’s “claim” concerns not only Ivashko, but also the head of the Chernihiv regional “Batkivshchyna” party, the people’s deputy Valeria DubilyaAccording to Atroshenko, it was Dubil who pushed the current head of the Chernihiv Regional State Administration into the governor's seat, and it is Dubil's people who currently occupy key positions in the Chernihiv region's administration.
The origins of this large-scale attack on the governor and his team are becoming clear on the eve of the elections. Interestingly, Valeriy Dubil is running for parliament on the Batkivshchyna party list. However, Atroshenko will also run in single-member constituency No. 207, hoping to secure another five years of parliamentary credentials.
Incidentally, the latter, like a rat, having abandoned the sinking ship known as the Party of Regions in February, managed to change his political stance just in time. A true chameleon, he has now become an ardent defender of the "revolution of dignity" and everything associated with the new government, joining the ranks of the newly formed political force with the awkward-sounding acronym—BPP (Petro Poroshenko Bloc).
The order to kill has been received – and the prosecutor’s office is also in the crosshairs
Although Atroshenko isn't Dubil's direct competitor, the order to "kill" all Tymoshenko supporters was given by representatives of the pro-presidential party. However, Atroshenko's statement wasn't just about politicians; the prosecutor's office also came under fire.
Atroshenko claims that the regional security bloc was formed at the instigation of Valeriy Dubil. Therefore, the regional prosecutor's office turned a blind eye to the regional district administration leaders' organization of the transport of "titushki" (illegal thugs) to Anti-Maidan last year. This, according to the chameleon-like MP, is a "deliberate provocation of civil unrest."
To be fair, the regional prosecutor's office weathered the storm with dignity. And in response to Atroshenko's accusations of political bias, the agency's press service prepared its "response to Chamberlain."
So, recently, following a lawsuit filed by the regional prosecutor's office, the Chernihiv District Administrative Court banned the activities of the regional branch of the pro-Russian party "Russian Bloc." The reason given was a violation of Ukrainian law. And if anyone suspects that this phrasing conceals separatist calls or the organization of unauthorized protests, we hasten to disappoint them. The prosecutor's investigation found nothing less than the absence of the organization, as well as its leadership, at the stated location.
"According to Ukrainian law, this is grounds for a court decision to terminate the legal entity's activities," the prosecutor's office reported.
It appears that the prosecutor's office has more problems in the region. For example, they remain silent and unresponsive to complaints from entrepreneurs. According to Atroshenko, the businessmen complained to Ivashko about officials interfering with their work by extorting bribes. Things aren't as simple here as with the Russian Bloc party cell, since prosecutors are usually in cahoots with officials. However, this didn't stop Atroshenko, for the sake of political gain, from pouring dirt on officials and prosecutors.
Atroshenko the "prophet" and the prosecutor's office the scapegoat
It's worth noting that Valeriy Dubil is well known to Chernihiv residents. One of the key points of his election campaign was improving the quality of healthcare for the population. And he's clearly succeeded in this regard – two years ago, he donated expensive medical equipment to the local hospital. However, there are also some unfulfilled promises.
Although Dubil's initiative granted the Yalivshchyna regional landscape park protected status, land grabbing by local officials close to the BYuT MP continues, according to Atroshenko. Specifically, four months ago, Chernihiv City Council Secretary Vladislav Kukhar forged the minutes of a land commission meeting and pushed through the necessary land allocation decision in Yalivshchyna. The forgery of the minutes was recorded by the regional prosecutor's office, but there has been no subsequent response from law enforcement.
However, speaking of Atroshenko's personality, he's not remembered for any accomplishments in the region at all. And so, he couldn't come up with anything better than "blaming the mirror when your own face is crooked."
However, the MP's efforts were not in vain. In his statement, Atroshenko stated that he considered the matter of Governor Ivashko's dismissal "already decided." As it turns out, this assertion is not just empty talk from the MP.
On September 15, President Poroshenko signed a decree dismissing Volodymyr Ivashko from his post at Bankova Street. Could it be that Atroshenko possesses the gift of prophecy? Unlikely. More likely, his statement was part of an attempt to discredit the governor and justify his dismissal.
The accusations against the prosecutor's office in this case can be summed up in the old Soviet joke: "They tried an Armenian and a Jew. The prosecutor got eight years!" The point is that in the political battles in Chernihiv Oblast, the prosecutor's office, at the instigation of elected officials, is being turned into either scapegoats or agents carrying out someone else's orders.
Based on the above, Prosecutor's Truth has a number of questions for the Chernihiv Oblast Prosecutor's Office and the Prosecutor General's Office:
— Will the prosecutor's office provide a worthy response to MP Atroshenko's statements regarding the regional prosecutor's office's inaction?
What will the Prosecutor General's Office's position be if MP Atroshenko's accusations are not confirmed? Will he be held accountable?
— How does the Prosecutor General's Office generally respond to accusations of political bias in the Chernihiv region's law enforcement system?
Prosecutor's Truth
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