KYIV. June 25 (Interfax-Ukraine) – A criminal case has been registered on the fact that knowingly false reports have been made by ex-Presidential Administration Deputy Head Andriy Portnov about alleged crimes committed by Ukraine's fifth President Petro Poroshenko, Poroshenko's lawyer and Golovan and Partners Managing Partner Igor Golovan has said.

Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday at Interfax-Ukraine, Golovan said Portnov's claims that Poroshenko would be brought to criminal responsibility are tantamount to "legal trolling."

"There is no goal to achieve justice... there is no jurisprudence at all... We are talking only about political operations, about creating press events and creating problems for Poroshenko and the political force he heads in the election process," the lawyer said.

Golovan said Portnov be held responsible for such actions.

"Responsibility for this is provided for by Ukraine's Criminal Code, for obviously false testimony. Criminal proceedings were registered regarding four episodes of Portnov's activities: statements on the situation with the Ukrainian sailors, about the Pryamiy TV channel, [PrJSC] Kuznya on Rybalsky plant and the High Council of Justice…We are deeply convinced that each of these statements constitutes an absolutely untrue report about a crime, and we insist on this, and the corresponding criminal proceedings have been registered," the lawyer said.

Golovan expressed the hope the case would be properly investigated.

Bloc of Petro Poroshenko (BPP) faction head Artur Herasymov, in turn, said Portnov's actions are "an integral part of the Kremlin's military-political attack on independent Ukraine. In this revenge, a key blow is being stuck at Poroshenko as the person who led the fight against the aggressor."

Golovan said the issue of opening similar criminal cases by the State Bureau of Investigations (SBI) based on statements made by member of parliament Vasyl Nimchenko and Nestor Shufrych (both from Opposition Bloc faction) that Poroshenko, Parliament Speaker Andriy Parubiy and Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman seized state power, will be raised.