Kuchma dismisses Vorsinov

KYIV - Ukraine's President Leonid Kuchma appointed the chief of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Oleh Lytvak, as acting procurator general of Ukraine on July 22 after dismissing Hryhorii Vorsinov "due to his retirement."

The 62-year-old Mr. Vorsinov had served as procurator general of Ukraine since 1995. Mr. Vorsinov was perceived as an ally of former Prime Minister Pavlo Lazarenko, who resigned earlier this month, ostensibly for health reasons.

A former presidential advisor on legal matters and chief of the NBI since April, Mr. Lytvak said he does not plan a major reshuffle of the Office of the Procurator General. "The appointees of my predecessors will remain in office if they competently discharge their duties," he told the Interfax-Ukraine news agency.

Mr. Lytvak said he would analyze the actions taken by his predecessors, which have repeatedly ended in conflict with Ukraine's Verkhovna Rada, and promised to take charge of investigations into "the most notorious cases."

In accordance with the Constitution, Mr. Lytvak's appointment must be approved by the Verkhovna Rada, which will conclude its seventh session on August 28-29.

Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, July 27, 1997, No. 30, Vol. LXV

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