Deputy Prosecutor General Viktor Chumak Resigns From Post

17 March 2020 12:20

Viktor Chumak, deputy prosecutor—general for Ukraine, has handed in his resignation, according to a document posted to his Facebook page.

Viktor Chumak, deputy prosecutor general for Ukraine, has handed in his resignation, according to a document posted to his Facebook page.

In a comment to Hromadske, the now-former deputy prosecutor general stated that “I can’t do this [work with Irina Venediktova]. I didn’t come here to earn my pension, I came here with a specific team to work on reforms. Today, I hear different motives [from Venedyktova]. I’m not an employee, I came to work on changing [things],” explained Chumak, referring to newly appointed Prosecutor General Irina Venediktova.

Chumak was a well-known anti-corruption activist and lawmaker prior to taking the post of deputy prosecutor general.

Venediktova's appointment came 12 days after the dismissal of her predecessor, Rouslan Riaboshapka. Riaboshapka's opponents accused him of ineffectiveness. However, Riaboshapka himself that he was fired because he is independent and got rid of the people "who now want to return."

Chumak temporarily acted as the prosecutor general until March 17 when Venediktova was appointed by the parliament.