Poroshenko’s alleged accomplice claims investigators forced him to slander

Serhiy Kuziara, who is suspected of cooperating with
Petro Poroshenko on financing terrorism by organizing coal purchases from the occupied
territories of Ukraine in 2014-2015, stated that the investigators pressured
him to slander Poroshenko, according to Kuziara’s interview to epravda.com.ua
news site published on Jan. 26. “Nobody was even shy. They [investigators] said
that they were primarily interested in Poroshenko. They wanted any information
that would link him to the case,” Kuziara said while commenting on his talks to
investigators.

“There is an open manipulation of facts. The
investigation invented a criminal group of Poroshenko, Medvedchuk, Demchyshyn
and me,” Kuziara commented. He did not deny his role in attempts to launch
deliveries of coal from the occupied territories of Donetsk and Luhansk regions
in 2014-2015 and called them “trade operations within the framework of
then-existing legislation.” Kuziara also asserted that he had no contacts with
Medvedchuk or Poroshenko in 2014-2015.

Recall, Poroshenko is accused of facilitating coal
purchases from the occupied regions of eastern Ukraine in December 2014 –
November 2015 totaling UAH 215 mln. Prosecutors allege that the  money
paid was used by the terrorist organizations to finance their activities. Along
with Poroshenko, the suspects are pro-Russian politician Viktor Medvedchuk,
businessman Serhiy Kuziara and former energy minister Volodymyr Demchyshyn. On
Jan. 19, a local court refused to detain Poroshenko in this case, but confirmed
his status as a suspect.

Alexander Paraschiy: With the
key suspect in the case taking such a position, it will be extremely hard for the
investigators to link Poroshenko to any wrongdoings related to coal purchases.
This, as well as the recent sociological polls showing
increased support for Poroshenko and his party’s electoral leadership, will add
to the impression that there is a political motivation behind this case. All in
all, the government seems to be close to losing the case, which will further
improve Poroshenko’s and his party’s rating at the Zelensky’s expense.