“Eurosolidarity” demands immediate reboot of the State Bureau of Investigation, which has become a repressive tool of the authorities: statement of the faction

The fifth president and current People’s Deputy Petro Poroshenko called the searches of the head of the Anti-Corruption Center Vitaliy Shabunin on social media part of an attack on anti-corruption structures by those who profit from the war.

“One can have different attitudes towards Vitaliy Shabunin’s activities, but under any circumstances, we had a dialogue. I am grateful to him for his help in creating an independent anti-corruption infrastructure in Ukraine during my term,” the fifth President recalled.

“But I view the searches at Vitaliy’s house much more broadly. As a manifestation of a total offensive by the authorities and the tailor-made judicial and law enforcement mafia hired by them on anti-corruption bodies in order to cover up those who make money from the war. This is part of one big process. Like the disruption of the appointment of the new head of the BEB, and the enchanting bill of the servants on amnesty for all who committed crimes in defense procurement… But this, unfortunately, is also part of the process of building an authoritarian regime in Ukraine, which is a threat to our European choice,” Petro Poroshenko warned.

“This is a challenge that requires our joint efforts together with civil society and foreign partners,” the leader of Eurosolidarity believes.

The EU faction also demands a reboot of the State Bureau of Investigation, which has turned into a repressive government body. This is stated in the faction’s statement.

“European Solidarity” demands an immediate reboot of the State Bureau of Investigation, which has transformed from a law enforcement agency into the State Bureau of Repression against the opposition, critics of the government, business, and those who are objectionable to Bankova.

The SBR, which has 100% reservation from mobilization, disappeared from Kyiv in its entirety in the terrible days of February 2022, emigrating to Transcarpathia and Lviv region. After the de-occupation of Kyiv, the SBR officers returned to the capital and took up their favorite business – cleaning up those disloyal to the OP.

The issuance of a warrant and search of the home of public activist and serviceman of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Vitaliy Shabunin is another shameful case from a series of others, the purpose of which is exclusively one: to shut everyone up, intimidate, and force them to remain silent about corruption and abuse of power, authoritarian tendencies, and rollback from reforms.

Since 2018, the “EU” has repeatedly drawn the attention of society and non-governmental organizations to the dirty role of the State Bureau of Investigation in politically motivated cases, pressure on the opposition and its leader, journalists, and activists. It is the State Bureau of Investigation that, based on Portnov-Derkach’s libels, has initiated more than 100 criminal cases against opposition leader Petro Poroshenko; it is the State Bureau of Investigation that is conducting extrajudicial searches of opposition families and terrorizing the family of Nina Yuzhanina. Now they have also come to public activists. It is the State Bureau that is holding combat commanders and ordinary employees of the State Bureau of Investigation hostage, demanding false testimony from them in fabricated cases.

We demand the resignation of the head of the State Bureau of Investigation, a report to parliament, and the adoption of a bill banning extrajudicial searches (the corresponding bill was registered by our faction).

It is obvious that the Office of the President is behind the arbitrariness of the State Bureau of Investigation. Each new such case distances Ukraine from victory, from membership in the EU and NATO, because it undermines trust in the authorities and destroys the unity that the country so needs.

“The EU expresses solidarity and support to V. Shabunin and his family, because behind the fabricated case there is only one thing – revenge for criticism of the authorities. We did not always agree with Vitaliy’s position, he criticized our team a lot and often baselessly, but what the State Bureau of Investigation is now allowing itself is a political crackdown on critics of the authorities,” the statement said.

As a reminder, employees of the State Bureau of Investigation reported the Ukrainian activist to the police on suspicion of evasion of duty and fraud.

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