Ukraine MPs approve top prosecutor's resignation over corruption
Ukrainian parliamentarians have accepted the resignation of the country’s prosecutor general, Viktor Shokin, amid public anger at the failure of the government to properly tackle corruption.
Lawmakers voted 289 to six during the chamber session on Tuesday to dismiss Shokin, who had submitted his resignation a month ago.
Shokin has been accused of refusing to clamp down on corrupt officials in Ukraine.
About 500 people gathered outside the administrative headquarters of the office of Ukraine's president on Monday, urging Shokin and other officials involved in corruption cases to resign.
Calls for Shokin’s resignation gained fresh momentum after a Kiev court gave his office full rein to investigate one of its toughest critics the Anti-Corruption Action Center, over claims that the body embezzled USD 2.2 million in aid. The center has called the charges politically motivated.
Shokin was forced last month to submit to the parliament a letter of resignation, apparently to ease pressure on President Petro Poroshenko, who has seen his public approval ratings fall dramatically over the past months. Officials in Shokin’s office had said on Monday that there would not be enough votes to approve his dismissal.
Hours before the dismissal vote, Shokin sacked one of his deputies after the official accused him of maintaining ties with corrupt officials and lawmakers. Shokin said in a statement that Davit Sakvarelidze had violated prosecutors' ethics and interfered in the work of another prosecutor in ways not stipulated by legislation.
Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk faces similar calls for resignation, although he has decided to cling to power. Last week, Poroshenko once again called on Yatsenyuk to resign and urged the parliament to pick his successor.
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