Agriculture minister tenders his resignation

Myloka Solskyi, Ukraine’s Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food, who is suspected of illegal transactions involving land worth UAH 500 million (approx. US$12.5 million), has resigned.

Source: Ruslan Stefanchuk, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada (Parliament), on Facebook

Stefanchuk said the resignation would be considered at an upcoming plenary session.

"Yes, I have tendered my resignation as minister. Given the situation, I think it is the right thing to do. If the Verkhovna Rada decides to accept my resignation, I will be grateful for that decision. If they decide that I should continue working, I’ll continue to work," Solskyi said.

Background: 

• Mykola Solskyi formerly chaired the Verkhovna Rada’s Agrarian Committee and is the current Minister of Agrarian Policy. He was exposed for appropriating state land worth UAH 291 million (US$7.29 million) and attempting to seize land worth UAH 190 million (US$4.76 million). 
• In addition to Solskyi, his deputy, Markiian Dmytrasevych, has also been served with a notice of suspicion in respect of the land transactions. Dmytrasevych is on an official trip abroad in connection with the start of Ukraine's EU membership negotiations in the agriculture section.
• Ekomomichna Pravda has information from a source close to Solskyi that he is being held as a suspect with regard to events that took place in 2017-2018, when he was practising as a lawyer.
• Solskyi commented on the notice of suspicion served by Ukraine’s National Anti-Corruption Bureau to confirm that the case against him does relate to the period 2017-2018.
• It was reported that the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office will request that Solskyi should be remanded in custody with an option of UAH 200 million (US$5 million) bail.
• The High Anti-Corruption Court of Ukraine has met to select a pre-trial restriction for Solskyi. The judge will announce the decision at 08:00 on 26 April.

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