Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine deputy Serhiy Leschenko (Petro Poroshenko Bloc) has said competent Ukrainian agencies for the past several months have been trying to strip suspended Fiscal Service of Ukraine head Roman Nasirov of Ukrainian citizenship. Nasirov is also a citizen of the United Kingdom.

"For the past three months I have been corresponding with these government agencies demanding they strip Nasirov of citizenship, because he is officially a citizen of the U.K., but the State Migration Service of Ukraine is playing "soccer" with the issue, tossing the issue up in the air like a hot potato in order to avoid taking a decision on the matter," Leschenko said on his Facebook page on Thursday evening. He attached a photocopy of responses from the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO) and the Migration Service.

SAPO Chief Nazar Kholodnytsky replied that Leschenko's request has been forwarded to the migration service, which, in turn, says it has no information about Nasirov's dual citizenship.

"The precedent with Nasirov will expose the hole in Poroshenko's policy [with regard to revoking citizenship], as well as used in Ukrainian and foreign courts," Leschenko said.

As earlier reported, Nasirov is suspected of committing crimes pursuant to Part 2 of Article 364 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (misuse of public office leading to dire consequences).

The British embassy in Ukraine has confirmed that Nasirov has a British passport.

British law-enforcement agencies are looking into whether Nasirov violated British laws and, if so, whether he can be summoned to court in the United Kingdom.