Kyiv Mayor Vitaly Klitschko accused the Ukrainian government of doing too little to fight corruption in the country, DPA reported.
Klitschko gave an interview to German media from the Funke group, which was published today. Asked if the government is on the right track in the fight against corruption, he replied:
“You can ask this question to any citizen and I’m sure he will answer no.”
Klitschko stated that he himself was “of exactly the same opinion”.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly announced that he is waging a tough battle against corruption and misuse of funds in the state apparatus. Proving success in this struggle is also a prerequisite for his country’s membership in the EU, recalls DPA, quoted by BTA.
Just a few days ago, the Minister of Agriculture resigned due to allegations of corruption. Ukraine’s anti-corruption bureau accuses him of misappropriating state land for millions.
In connection with his relations with Zelensky, Klitschko expressed regret for the lack of cohesion among the leading politicians in Ukraine. “Unfortunately, in this period of war, there is no unity between the political forces,” Klitschko said. He noted that since the beginning of the war, he had repeatedly tried to meet with Zelensky.
“But unfortunately I didn’t have the opportunity to meet Zelensky in person. He probably has other things to do.”
In the current situation, it is important to forget about political ambitions. “To pursue political competition in a situation like this is stupid,” Klitschko stressed.
Kyiv’s mayor pointed to damage caused by Russian drones and called for more international support for Ukraine’s air defenses.
“We have a deficit of air defense systems,” emphasized Klitschko.
The citizens of Odesa, Dnipro and Kharkiv also need protection, the Kyiv mayor added.
After two years of war, the damage in Kiev is enormous. More than 800 buildings were damaged and destroyed by the airstrikes, including almost 440 residential buildings. More than 200 people died as a result of the airstrikes, including seven children.
In the winter of 2022, the Russian military attempted to destroy the city’s critical infrastructure, Klitschko said. “This is genocide. This is terror – to leave the largest city in Eastern Europe without water, electricity and heating.”
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