Yuri Lutsenko: Ukrainian oligarchs trying to overthrow Poroshenko

Oligarchic clans in Ukraine are trying to shift power in the country by driving out the president from office and dismissing the parliament, says Yuri Lutsenko, the leader of the parliamentary faction of Petro Poroshenko Bloc.

“The budget failed to receive 9.6 billion from Ukrnafta (controlled by tycoon Igor Kolomoisky) alone, and nearly as much from DTEK (business group of oligarch Rinat Akhmetov) and DF Group (owned by Dmitry Firtash). Oligarchs are discontented. They are pulling the strings of their agents. The tycoons have set a task – dismissal of the parliament and election of a new parliament where they will form the majority. It would be better off disestablishing the post of the president or electing a new president in the parliament,” Lutsenko posted on Facebook.

Lutsenko believes such scenario of the country’s development is disastrous for “the EU dream,” as “Ukraine will be either European or oligarchic.” He is sure that it is possible to stop the oligarchs only through public support. To enlist the people’s support, it is necessary to “punish the old and new embezzlers of the state property consistently,” with simultaneous  “pro-European reforms.”

He links the arrest of Hennady Korban, whom the local media call Igor Kolomisky’s aide, with the fight against oligarchs. “Korban’s arrest was inevitable,” Lutsenko says, as he “shifted from legal raids to forced ones,” which was “backed with heated political rhetoric and plans to create his own political and feudalistic electoral constitution.”

EADaily reported earlier that Hennady Korban, the leader of Party Ukrop (this is how supporters of Ukrainian patriotic and Maidan ideas are called in Ukraine) was detained on October 31. The Prosecutor’s Office suspects him of establishing a criminal organization charged with non-purposeful use of charitable contributions and other crimes.  Ukrop founder Igor Kolomoisky told LB.ua that “Korban’s case was pure politics” connected with the party’s results at the local elections.