Ukrainian parliament backs nomination of Shokin as prosecutor general

14:58, 10.02.2015 1 min read

Ukraine's parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, has backed the nomination of Viktor Shokin as Ukrainian prosecutor general.

A total of 318 Ukrainian MPs supported on Tuesday the nomination of Shokin proposed by Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, an Interfax correspondent reported.

Prior to the voting on Shokin, a majority of 291 Ukrainian MPs supported the president's motion to relieve Vitaliy Yarema of duties of Ukrainian prosecutor general.

According to the Ukrainian Constitution, the president appoints and dismisses prosecutor general with the consent of the Verkhovna Rada.

Shokin has worked with the Ukrainian Prosecutor's General Office since 1998. He investigated high-profile criminal cases, including against Gen. Oleksiy Pukach, who was charged with killing journalist Georgy Gongadze, as well as against Borys Kolesnikov, Yevhen Kushnarev and Ihor Kolomoiskiy.

Shokin had served as deputy prosecutor general from 2002 to 2003 and since 2004.