Kyiv, May 5, 2014 – Viktor Chumak, head of the Parliamentary Committee for Fighting Organized Crime and Corruption, said – during a press briefing at the Ukraine Crisis Media Center – that criminal negligence of the Ministry of Internal Affairs units in the South and East of Ukraine is the result of a state policy of the past 20 years. During this time, law enforcement agencies were used as a repressive mechanism to provide pressure upon political opponents and business competitors. Instead of protecting the rights and liberties of the citizens, police for years has been involved in obtaining bribes and providing illegal “roof” for businesses. People went to work for the police with the sole purpose of making money on bribes. It is precisely due to this reason that Ministry of Internal Affairs units in the South and East of Ukraine proved to be incapable of countering extremists. They have never seen themselves in the role of the defenders of the communities they serve. Till today the loyalty of over 50%-60% of the regular staff of the Ministry of Internal Affairs units in the regions is in question. Therefore the decision to create National Guard and territorial units of self-defense is justified and timely. Rotation of the regular staff of the Ministry of Internal Affairs units can also provide partial solution of the problem. However, there is critical need for a comprehensive reform of the ministry. Currently it is a police agency while it should be the agency for development of the state internal policy.
Viktor Chumak also announced that tomorrow during the closed session of the parliament steps to build effective patriotic law enforcement agencies will be discussed.
Answering questions of the journalists, Mr. Chumak also confirmed that financing of the extremists is taking place in part via funds which were siphoned from the country by Yanukovych and the “family”. It is difficult to locate and return these funds because the “family” obtained and kept them exclusively in cash, which was then transported from Ukraine by tons.
Photo: dyvys.in
