No political edge to Kyrychenko’s resignation, says former DM Anatoly Hrytsenko

October07200919:37

The resignation of Chief of General Staff Gen. Serhy Kyrychenko has nothing to do with politics, said former DM and head of VR committee for national security and defense Anatoly Hrytsenko, speaking to a ZIK correspondent in Kyiv Oct. 7.

The true cause of Kyrychenko’s resignation is bad health, Hrytsenko said. “He named the cause for his resignation himself. If there were other reasons, he would have given them. All the allegations about his resignation is guesswork,” Hrytesnko stressed.

According to the ex-DM, a new minister of defense and chief of general staff should be appointed urgently as Pres Yushchenko is now the only legitimate commander of the armed forces. “All servicemen should know well, who their minister is and who can give them orders,” Hrytsenko noted.

According to the law, Hrytsenko explained, a DM can nominate the chief of general staff for president’s approval. Since there is no defense minister now, the president and premier should hold consultations to allow the appointment by the interim DM of the chief of general staff, Hrytsenko observed.

Hrytsenko reminded that the deadline for Pres Yushchenko to nominate a new DM has long expired. “Most probably, the president is skeptical that VR can approve his candidate, but his skepticism should not stand in the way of his constitutional duty,” Lutsenko said.

If a new DM has been nominated, our committee would consider him in a short time. “Let me remind that in all the years of Ukraine’s independence Ukraine has never been without a DM. The ball is now in the president’s court,” he added.