MADRID 22 Nov. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, has ratified a decree with which he withdraws state recognition for individuals now considered “traitors” to the homeland, a range that includes former senior officials such as Mikola Azarov, former prime minister, or Patriarch Kirill of Moscow.
The measure, endorsed this week by the Ukrainian Parliament at the request of Zelensky, leaves open the revocation of titles against people who have committed crimes related to national security or public safety, but also against those who “propagate or justify the actions of the State aggressor or the occupation of Ukraine”.
This “first list” includes the names of ten people who will not only see their recognitions withdrawn, but will also suffer the freezing of any assets they may have under the sovereignty of Ukraine and the “complete” cessation of any type of commercial operation, according to a statement from the Presidency.
Among those who will be left without any honor are, in addition to Patriarch Kiril and former Prime Minister Azarov, other high-ranking institutional officials during the latter’s government period (2010-2014) such as former Minister Dimitro Tabachnik or former Prosecutor General Viktor Pshonka. In addition, the Ukrainian authorities have left five singers and one composer without recognition for their artistic work.