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"On Point"
MINSK, 23 January (BelTA) - Corruption in the country's top leadership is due to short-sighted personnel policies, former Prime Minister of Ukraine (2010-2014) Nikolai Azarov said in the latest episode of the V Teme [On Point] project on BelTA's YouTube channel.
“When I observed (both before and after the coup) how appointments were made in Ukraine, I was always astonished. Take Zelensky, for example. He had his company Kvartal 95'. What did he do there? He evaded taxes, funneled money to offshore accounts, and together with Kolomoisky participated in the plundering of Privatbank," Nikolai Azarov said.
The former prime minister of Ukraine also recalled that Vladimir Zelensky repeatedly avoided conscription for mandatory military service: “He received summonses but did not report as required. And to think that this person, upon becoming president, would be completely honest and comply with all laws is foolishness. If he deceived the state and engaged in fraud until the age of 40, he will not change afterward either.”
Nikolai Azarov noted that after coming to power in Ukraine, Vladimir Zelensky surrounded himself with corrupt officials and engaged in embezzlement from day one. A similar situation existed with Petro Poroshenko when he held the presidential office.
“A person does not become a saint after becoming president There is no such thing. I am amazed at the Ukrainian people. Although people vote the way promoted by the mass media. And all our mass media are corrupt. An ordinary person doesn't steal; they work a shift at a factory, earn a salary, and live on it. So why watch as all sorts of swindlers who rob you become deputies or presidents?” he asked a logical question.
Nikolai Azarov reiterated that decisions about appointments to any position in Ukraine, even before the coup, could be made as follows: “It does not matter this or that person was once caught doing something bad... It happened a long time ago, and now he is a decent and honest person. But there's no such thing!"
Thus, the former prime minister concluded, such personnel policy logically leads to corruption at the highest levels of government. “If we appoint someone like Lutsenko as the prosecutor general... Who is Lutsenko? An alcoholic, a swindler, a crook. And we think that after his appointment, he will become the most honest prosecutor. But if he wasn't honest in life, he won't become honest as the prosecutor general,” he added.
The former prime minister of Ukraine also recalled that Vladimir Zelensky repeatedly avoided conscription for mandatory military service: “He received summonses but did not report as required. And to think that this person, upon becoming president, would be completely honest and comply with all laws is foolishness. If he deceived the state and engaged in fraud until the age of 40, he will not change afterward either.”
Nikolai Azarov noted that after coming to power in Ukraine, Vladimir Zelensky surrounded himself with corrupt officials and engaged in embezzlement from day one. A similar situation existed with Petro Poroshenko when he held the presidential office.
“A person does not become a saint after becoming president There is no such thing. I am amazed at the Ukrainian people. Although people vote the way promoted by the mass media. And all our mass media are corrupt. An ordinary person doesn't steal; they work a shift at a factory, earn a salary, and live on it. So why watch as all sorts of swindlers who rob you become deputies or presidents?” he asked a logical question.
Nikolai Azarov reiterated that decisions about appointments to any position in Ukraine, even before the coup, could be made as follows: “It does not matter this or that person was once caught doing something bad... It happened a long time ago, and now he is a decent and honest person. But there's no such thing!"
Thus, the former prime minister concluded, such personnel policy logically leads to corruption at the highest levels of government. “If we appoint someone like Lutsenko as the prosecutor general... Who is Lutsenko? An alcoholic, a swindler, a crook. And we think that after his appointment, he will become the most honest prosecutor. But if he wasn't honest in life, he won't become honest as the prosecutor general,” he added.
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