The European Solidarity party demands that the new government return Mykhailo Fedorov to the post of Minister of Defense, return UAH 40 billion to the army, return a portion of the personal income tax from military personnel’s salaries to brigades, eliminate cashback programs and direct those funds to the Defense Forces, and ensure the independence of anti-corruption bodies, said party leader and fifth President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko.
"Today we had a meeting with the candidate (for the position of Prime Minister - IF-U). I have known him for quite a long time and I can emphasize: you made a positive impression. The first question I raised was: why is Fedorov not on the list of your government? Why did you not defend the position of the Minister of Defense? This would have allowed for the avoidance of cardboard protests. Why is the Verkhovna Rada now unable to invite the acting Minister of Defense to hear a report?" he stated during the discussion of the candidacy of Serhiy Koretsky for the post of the new Prime Minister.
Poroshenko once again emphasized the need to form a government of national unity, while noting Koretsky’s non-partisan status.
"Why did I want us to remove the previous government? So that there would be a government of national unity. We are wasting this chance. Although I emphasize, Serhii is a representative of a non-partisan government and not a monomajority. I would very much like for this chance to be taken, for the parliament to regain its agency, and for the parliament to bear constitutional responsibility for the government," the European Solidarity leader said.
"We raised the issue of returning 40 billion to the army. We raised the issue of returning personal income tax to brigades. We raised the issue of liquidating cashback programs – those funds also go to the Armed Forces. We raised the issue of ensuring the independence of anti-corruption bodies. We heard… an answer: we are ready to work with this, we are ready to keep the doors open, we are ready to work in a monthly dialogue format with the factions. We shall see," Poroshenko said.
