Former PM Azarov fails to come for PGO questioning with his son
Former Prime Minister of Ukraine Mykola Azarov has failed to appear for questioning at the Main Military Prosecutor's Office of the General Prosecutor's Office (PGO), where he was summoned on Tuesday as a witness in the case of Ukrgazvydobuvannia and Ukrnafta embezzlement (the case was opened in January 2013).
"Azarov has not come in for questioning," press secretary of Chief Prosecutor Yuriy Lutsenko Larysa Sargan told Interfax-Ukraine agency.
Earlier, PGO published Azarov’s summons warrant on its website to the Main Military Prosecutor's Office.
According to the document, Azarov is invited for questioning at 14.00 on August 9 and for procedural matters in the framework of a criminal case probing the activities of an organized criminal group headed by disgraced former President Viktor Yanukovych that embezzled up to UAH 2 billion with PSJC Ukrnafta and PJSC Ukrgazvydobuvannia.
In addition, Azarov's son, Oleksiy, has also been summoned for questioning at 16.00 the same day. Oleksiy Azarov also failed to appear for questioning at the appointed time by the investigator.
Mykola Azarov said the PGO itself illegitimate. "Following the overthrow of elected officials [in February 2014] the PGO ceased to serve as the agency responsible for law enforcement and upholding the Constitution of Ukraine. Following the arrests of Kotsaba, Hlischenska, Aleksandrovska, Yefremov and many others, the PGO lost the moral and legal right to accuse individuals in the name of Ukraine. This is how to respond to PGO claims," Azarov wrote on his Facebook page.
Azarov headed the Ukrainian government from March 2010 until the end of January 2014. Following the Revolution of Dignity he fled Ukraine. Presently he resides in the Russian Federation.
Ukraine has put Mykola Azarov on the international wanted list on suspicion he embezzled government funds.
Azarov's son Oleksiy was elected national parliament deputy in 2012.