Szijjártó urges EU to stop financial aid to Ukraine after corruption scandal
Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó (photo: Flickr)
Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó, suspected of pro-Russian sympathies, is demanding that the European Union stop providing financial assistance to Ukraine following the corruption scandal involving theft at Energoatom (Ukraine's state nuclear operator), Reuters reports.
In particular, the Hungarian government official, who is considered one of the most corrupt in Europe, stated that the EU must stop giving money to Ukraine because there is a "corrupt system" and a "war mafia" there.
"There's a war mafia, a corrupt system working in Ukraine, and then the European Commission president ... instead of stopping the payments and demanding immediate financial clearance, she wants to send another 100 billion to Ukraine. That is insane," Szijjártó complained to the press.
At the same time, Ukraine has already taken several decisive measures following the scandal involving the theft of $ 100 million from the state nuclear agency. Two Ukrainian ministers were dismissed, and multiple investigations are ongoing. However, for the pro-Russian Hungarian minister, this does not appear to be an argument.
"The time is not on the side of Ukraine. It is an illusion to say that the time is on the side of Ukraine," he said.
Operation Midas and the scandal
On November 10, the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine announced the uncovering of a large-scale corruption scheme at Energoatom. It involved the former business partner of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Tymur Mindich, two ministers, as well as several other officials.
On November 19, Herman Halushchenko, who had earlier been suspended from his duties as minister of justice, was dismissed from his position by a vote of 323 due to the corruption scandal. The same day, energy minister Svitlana Grynchuk was also removed from office.
