Ukrainian Finance Minister considers his complaints against Groysman and Poroshenko justified
In response to a question from the Ukrainski Novyny news ageny, Ukrainian Finance Minister Oleksandr Danylyuk said he does not think it was a mistake to send a letter to the ambassadors of the Group of Seven countries complaining about the pressure from Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman and President Petro Poroshenko.
“I had exhausted the opportunities for normal dialog. I am a decisive person, but also tolerant. We always look for ways to carry out what we have planned. Regarding the State Fiscal Service (SFS) – unfortunately the situation had been exhausted and it was a last resort – the letter. But I said, I… it was voiced in the context, so that the team would deal with it differently. Because [I am] against the SFS, against the professional leadership of the SFS? I think that everyone here is for [it]. This was my position of principle, and I expressed it, period,” the finance minister stated.
Danylyuk also said that he does not intend to resign.
“I have never said that I intend to resign. We have done a lot of things, we have a lot of things still to do. I have a position with responsibility. By resigning now, I would be doing two things. Firstly, I would be helping those who have wanted to get rid of me for a long time. And they want to get rid of me because I and my team have a position of principle on many matters: on the efficiency of use of state funds, on the inadmissibility of using the budget for political goals, on the fight against corruption, VAT bonds, the financing of the Prosecutor General’s Office. All of this creates a certain desire to get rid of me. I am not the person who will facilitate this. Secondly, let other people do it – leave. I’m not referring to anyone in particular. I have a lot of such people and it is their issue. I am not going to resign,” Danylyuk said.
As reported, Danylyuk wrote a letter to the ambassadors of the G7 countries with the intention of avoiding ambiguity and manipulation in his conflict with Groysman. Danylyuk described the conflict with the prime minister, and the latter’s unwillingness to appoint Yana Bugrimova as his deputy.
According to Danylyuk, the president has tried to appoint a person whom members of the Verkhovna Rada have lobbied for, but he did consent to these candidates for the position, and has already worked for two years without a deputy.
Danylyuk also said that the current government has obstructed the reformation of the State Fiscal Service.