BYUT helps corrupt ex-judge Zvarych to get off hook, Yushchenko claims. BYUT dismisses accusations and strikes back.

Dec. 24, A. Portnov dismissed president's accusations, calling them blatant lies, the BYUT press service quotes the lawmaker as saying.

”Let me remind you about BYUT’s attitude to Zvarych’s exposure [Zvarych is now on the run and on the polic wanted list]. It was BYUT who tabled a demand in the Supreme Court and General Prosecutor’s Office to strip the judge of his immunity and arrest him. For the reasons unknown, the PGO took a whole week to react. We all know that the GPO takes orders only from Yushchenko,” Portnov said.

“It was after my written appeal that Rada committee on judiciary voted to give its consent to Zvarych’s arrest,” the BYUT lawmaker reminded.

Andry Portnov also mentioned that he authored a bill to prosecute and fire Yushchenko’s representative in Rada and former governor of Lviv Petro Olijnyk in whose office Judge Zvarych had received a $100,000 bribe, prosecutors say.

“BYUT has several questions to Pres Yushchenko,” Portnov continued.

“First, for what specific distinguished services was Zvarych appointed by Yushchenko to head the Lviv Court of Appeals?”

“Second, for what services to the country was Zvarych awarded the title of Ukraine’s honorary lawyer by the president?”

“Third, why didn’t Yushchenko sack his representative in the Rada when he was told by prosecutors that Olijnyk was an accomplice in the bribery case?”

“As a Ukrainian citizen, I am sorry for my country which is ruled by a desperate, cornered person who may follow in Zvarych’s footsteps, that is go to jail or on the run,” the BYUT lawmaker concluded.