Ukraine prosecutor drops criminal case against Yefremov

A Kyiv judge ruled on March 24 to approve a prosecutor’s decision to close a criminal case opened against former Party of Regions Parliamentary Faction Head Oleksandr Yefremov for inciting ethnic hostility and ordered his bail compensated, reported the pravda.com.ua news site on March 31. Yefremov is still being investigated in two criminal cases involving the illegal acquisition of state funds and voting in parliament to approve laws in violation of the Constitution.

Zenon Zawada: These potential criminal charges are relatively minor when compared to Yefremov’s alleged role in financing the terrorist activity in the Luhansk region, where he is a member of the local oligarchy. They are meant to serve as a distraction and unfortunately, they are reflective of the disastrous condition of Ukraine’s justice system. The government hasn’t prosecuted any local oligarch for financing the terrorism in Donbas.