Cabinet deals with unwanted ministers through CRO, says head of Accounting Chamber

Kyiv, July 17 (Interfax-Ukraine) – The Main Control and Revision Office has become the instrument for dealing with independently minded people in the Cabinet of Ministers, Head of the Accounting Chamber of Ukraine Valentyn Symonenko said at a press conference in the Interfax-Ukraine news agency on Thursday.

"Just by declaring the increased authority of the Accounting Chamber, [the cabinet] increased the role of the Control and Revision Office through bills and other amendments passed by parliament… The Cabinet of Ministers now has an obedient body… which can be used to deal with independently minded people in the cabinet," he said.

Symonenko said that the CRO should fulfill the functions of an internal controller, while reporting to and being part of the Finance Ministry.

"They have fired the transport minister and the defense minister on the basis of inspections by the CRO. The whole procedure for dismissing ministers has been violated… Now we have a body that should be an internal controller fulfilling the functions of a state regulator," he said.