The corruption case around Andriy Yermak, the former head of Ukraine’s presidential office, has become a serious political problem for Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Zeit describes the affair as a burden for the government and for Ukraine’s effort to move closer to the European Union.
In mid-May, a Ukrainian anti-corruption court ordered Yermak into pre-trial detention. He can be released on bail of the equivalent of 2.72 million euros; Yermak denies the allegations. Investigators suspect money laundering and membership in a criminal organization.
The case is part of the wider Operation Midas investigation. Anti-corruption bodies had earlier described an alleged bribery scheme around the state energy company Energoatom. Former minister Herman Halushchenko was detained in February while trying to leave Ukraine, while businessman Timur Mindich had previously left the country, according to earlier reports.
For Ukraine, the case is also a test of whether its anti-corruption institutions can pursue politically sensitive allegations without interference during the war.
Source: www.zeit.de
