Presidential Aide Quits, Citing Corruption
An aide to President Viktor Yushchenko who was a chief organizer of the “Orange Revolution” protests said he had quit to protest systemic corruption around the Ukrainian leader.
In a news conference broadcast live, State Secretary Oleksandr Zinchenko levied charges against Petro Poroshenko, head of Ukraine’s Defense and Security Council; Oleksandr Tretyakov, an aide to Yushchenko; and Mykola Martynenko, head of the pro-presidential faction in parliament. His words were met with heavy applause. Zinchenko said his “sharp public announcement” was to ensure Ukrainians understood the problem.
After Zinchenko finished, an angry Poroshenko took the podium and challenged Zinchenko to provide evidence to back up his charges. Martynenko threatened to sue Zinchenko for libel.
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