Not only Yermak's resignation needed, whole system must be rebooted, says Poturaiev
The resignation of Andriy Yermak as head of the Office of the President of Ukraine is the right move, but only a first step, as the current political situation requires a deep reboot of the entire system of governance, not just personnel changes.
Mykyta Poturaiev, Chair of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Humanitarian and Information Policy, stated this in a comment to Ukrinform.
"I truly believe that Yermak's resignation was the only correct decision for the president in this situation. […] The Servant of the People faction supports this dismissal – everyone, of course, stands with the president. I completely welcome this decision," he said.
At the same time, he stressed that in a period of tense negotiations with the United States, Yermak's resignation "will certainly not have the best effect on them."
"Everything we have seen recently shows that the delegation led by Yermak has not taken a single step contrary to our national and state interests. They held a tough pro-Ukrainian stance – judging from what we have seen, heard, and read," Poturaiev added.
He noted that in making this personnel decision, the president faced the need to balance two risks.
"On the one hand, there is the risk that negotiations may become more difficult for a while. On the other hand, there is a much more serious risk: losing the trust of partner governments – in Europe, the United States, and elsewhere – as well as losing the trust of Ukrainian society and deepening the internal political crisis. Obviously, the second risk outweighed the first, and the president made this personnel decision," he said.
The MP also stressed that the course toward rebooting the system, declared by the president, must continue.
He recalled that some members of the Servant of the People faction had earlier put forward many of the proposals mentioned by the president in his November 28 address.
"We stated clearly: renewal is needed, the system must be rebooted – both at the personal level and at the level of governance. And now, that is exactly what's happening," the politician said.
Poturaiev also emphasized the importance of substantial and fundamental reform of the relationship triangle: Office of the President – Government – Parliament, which Zelensky also mentioned.
"Reforms must be comprehensive, because the issue is not just about individuals. This system is built in such a way that even if a theoretically 'saintly' person were appointed head of the President's Office tomorrow, there would still be a risk that, over time, they could become compromised. The problem is not only in the people – it is in the system itself," he added.
On Friday, November 28, detectives of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) searched the home of Zelensky's chief of staff, Andriy Yermak. No suspicion notices have yet been approved, and investigative actions are ongoing.
President Volodymyr Zelensky later dismissed Yermak, who had earlier submitted his resignation letter.
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