Dmytro Razumkov noted that the position of the SBU and other participants in the process on this issue was unknown to him.
Kiev. Ukraine. Ukraine Gate – March 11, 2021 – Local News
The Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada Dmytro Razumkov explained in detail why he abstained from voting for the imposition of sanctions against People’s Deputy Taras Kozak and his TV channels NewsOne, Zik, and 112 Ukraine.
According to Razumkov, the decision to abstain was made due to the fact that no additional information on terrorist financing was provided. He noted that the decision of the National Security and Defense Council on sanctions against Kozak was made without holding a meeting as such.
“This is one of the formats – the so-called written survey. The package of documents included a draft decision, lists of persons in respect of whom all this is being introduced, and a resolution of the Verkhovna Rada, which was voted in 2018. There was no additional information. Unfortunately, I do not know the position of the SBU or the positions of other participants in the process, “Razumkov said.
The speaker of the parliament added that if we say that the sanctions are related to terrorist activities, then according to the law there should be suspicion and detention.
“Well, I’m sorry, when terrorists walk our streets, we can’t just look at them. So far I haven’t seen any additional movements, and I’m not talking about personalities now, I’m talking about approaches. Because personalities can change, but the main thing is that the approach does not change, “Razumkov explained his position.
On February 2, President Volodymyr Zelensky put into effect a decision of the National Security and Defense Council to impose sanctions on Taras Kozak, a People’s Deputy from the OPZZ faction and an ally of Viktor Medvedchuk. The five-year sanctions include blocking 112 Ukraine, NewsOne and ZiK, owned by Kozak. On February 3, the channels of Kozak’s pool began to be cut off from the air.
The reason for imposing sanctions against Taras Kozak and the channels was the investigation of the special services of Ukraine, which found that coal supply schemes from the occupied areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions contribute to the financing of terrorism.
Parliament Speaker Dmytro Razumkov abstained from voting at a meeting of the National Security and Defense Council on the application of sanctions against Kozak.
Commenting on the decision of the National Security and Defense Council, Razumkov said that those responsible for cooperation with Russia and terrorist financing should be punished in accordance with the law. Instead, in his opinion, sanctions are imposed against persons who cannot be prosecuted before a Ukrainian court.
The owner of the Novyny media holding, Taras Kozak, called the actions of the National Security and Defense Council illegal, and the decision on sanctions an act of censorship. Kozak appealed the sanctions to the Supreme Court.
Read also: Supreme Court Refuses to Lift Sanctions Against Medvedchuk Channels!
Source: Ukrgate
