Interpol ceases search for Yanukovych – National Police

The Ukrainian National Bureau of Interpol confirms that the international organization has stopped searching for former President Viktor Yanukovych.

As reported by Iaroslav Trakalo, Spokeperson of the National Police of Ukraine, to the Ukrayinska Pravda (Ukrainian Truth).

According to him, the corresponding information was received by the National Bureau of the Interpol Commission for the Control of Files. He added that this Commission also ordered the Interpol General Secretariat to remove Viktor Yanukovych and all information about his son Oleksandr from the search base.

Trakalo said that the Ukrainian Bureau had transmitted the received information, namely a copy of the decision of the Interpol Commission for the Control of Files over Yanukovych, to the General Prosecutor’s Office of Ukraine as a pre-trial investigation body.

Regarding the reasons for such actions on behalf of the Interpol, the Spokeperson of the National Police noted that only the General Prosecutor’s Office can provide sufficient commentary.

Serhiy Horbatiuk, Head of the Department of Special Investigations of the General Prosecutor’s Office, stated that they would appeal against the decision of Interpol.

According to him, this decision is motivated by “shortcomings of the Ukrainian legislation on choosing a preventive measure against the wanted persons”.

“To date, Interpol’s findings are being processed and decision on further actions will be adopted based on the results and, in particular, perhaps making changes to the current legislation”, – said in a statement of the General Prosecutor’s Office.

One of the lawyers of Heavenly Hundred Markiyan Halabala wrote on his Facebook page that Interpol’s intentions were known at the end of April.

“The charade with the confiscation of 1.5 billion $ was played with the aim of proactively canceling the wave of negativity in connection with the aforementioned refusal by Interpol”, – he noted.

As a reminder, former President of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych was put on Interpol’s wanted list at the request of investigators of the General Prosecutor’s Office. The search was announced within the framework of a case in which he is suspected of embezzling funds allocated for the construction of a special communication line during the privatization of Ukrtelecom.

Meanwhile, on May 4, a preparatory hearing will begin on the case of the treason of the former President. Viktor Yanukovich and his defense deny the accusations and call the process in absentia illegal.