Ukrainian parliament approves dismissal of Prosecutor General Kravchenko

The Verkhovna Rada (Ukrainian parliament) has backed the dismissal of Ruslan Kravchenko as prosecutor general.

Source: broadcast of the parliamentary session on 15 September

Details: A total of 317 MPs voted in favour.

Opposition representatives called for the restoration of a competitive selection process for the prosecutor general, urging an end to "politics-driven appointments".

It is still unknown who is currently serving as acting Prosecutor General after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy suspended Kravchenko from the post the previous day.

Background:

• Amid an investigation by the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO) into the alleged protection of scam call centres, Ruslan Kravchenko submitted his resignation as prosecutor general.
• On the morning of 14 September, Kravchenko said he had signed a notice of suspicion against Semen Kryvonos, director of the NABU, and accused NABU and the SAPO of unlawfully seizing materials relating to cases against their employees in the course of searches conducted as part of Operation Carthage in order to prevent procedural decisions in those cases.
• Ukrainska Pravda reported that according to sources in law enforcement, Kravchenko left Ukraine in an official vehicle on the night of 13-14 September. Kravchenko confirmed that he had travelled abroad but said that he was on an official trip.
• According to an order, a copy of which was obtained by Ukrainska Pravda, Kravchenko sent himself on a five-day official trip to Paris "to participate in PACE hearings concerning Ukrainian children". However, he is not listed among the speakers on the event's agenda.
• Meanwhile, Zelenskyy called on parliament to urgently approve Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko's resignation.
• Ruslan Stefanchuk, Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada, reported that parliament had received a motion from President Volodymyr Zelenskyy seeking the dismissal of Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko. The Verkhovna Rada Committee on Law Enforcement has approved the motion.

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