Yanukovych says asset seizure is an attempt to divert attention from Kiev's failures
Former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych commented on the special assets forfeiture bill that was adopted by the Verkhovna Rada, which will allow his assets to be taken away.
"Talks about 'mythical billions' of Yanukovych are nothing more than an attempt of the current political 'losers' to divert attention of the Ukrainians from the fact that they have led the country to a political and economic collapse," he said in an interview with Reuters.
Yanukovych assured that his assets in Ukraine included only a private house and 29 million dollars in a bank account, which were already seized by the state bodies.
The ex-president says he has a letter from the Attorney General confirming that he does not have bank accounts abroad.
"If the law is passed, senior officials will have the right to confiscate anything they want, from any Ukrainian, without proof of guilt or a court order," Yanukovych said.
On March 17, the Ukrainian Parliament adopted a law on confiscation of assets and income from officials that were received through corruption and criminal activity before the court decides on a sentence. The Cabinet hopes that this law will allow the confiscation of Yanukovych’s seized assets as well as those of his associates to fill in the budget.