MP Kostenko criticizes SBU role in denying border permit for former president Poroshenko

MP Roman Kostenko, who serves as the secretary of the parliamentary National Security and Defense Council (NSDC), has criticized Ukraine’s SBU security services’ involvement in denying a border exit permit for former Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko, in an interview with NV Radio on Dec. 3.

"It is a pity that the SBU, even though it is doing good things, was dragged in such political adventures,” Kostenko said.

“I can't call it anything else. Who with common sense will believe in what was written there? They built up trust for themselves for so long, and with one of these posts (which, I am sure, they were dragged into by the [Presidential] Office), [they destroyed trust]. Even those guys who are fighting now, I think they are ashamed of such moments.”

Hungary, which also cannot boast of its great democratic achievements, has already talked about the oppression of the opposition in Ukraine "and here you can't even argue," the MP said.

Read also: Ukrainian MP warns against attempts to ‘discredit’ top military commanders

He added that Ukraine has demonstrated that it is pressuring opposition parties “right before the issue of our inclusion into the European Union will be considered."

"I am from the Security Service of Ukraine myself,” Kostenko said.

“I know what these [letters with the stamp "For official use"] are like. They are difficult to verify. Now if we turn a blind eye to this, you can make these sorts of [letters] for anyone and simply prevent them from working. If this information was real, they should have requested a meeting with the person, in this case, Petro Poroshenko, and said, 'Look, there is this information; let's figure out how we should proceed.' No one has the right to make decisions on behalf of an MP, as they are representatives of the Ukrainian people."

Regarding the situation at the border on Dec. 1, Poroshenko said he that he had intended to leave Ukraine to meet with politicians in Poland and the United States. All the details of the visits had been agreed with Ukraine's Foreign Ministry, the MP added.

Read also: Poroshenko confirms he planned meetings with leaders of 'skeptical' EU countries

Ukraine's border service explained that they had refused Poroshenko's departure because his official trip was canceled by the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine's parliament – which was corroborated by parliamentary speaker Oleksandr Kornienko, who said that he had canceled Poroshenko's international trip after receiving a confidential letter from an unspecified state institution.

Ukraine’s SBU security service reported on Dec. 2 that Russia planned to use Poroshenko's meeting with Hungarian PM Viktor Orbán in a propaganda campaign against Ukraine.

The European Solidarity party, which Poroshenko heads, stated that the SBU's explanation "causes outright surprise" and that Poroshenko had only planned visits to Poland and the United States.

Read also: Former president Poroshenko claims border guards did not let him leave Ukraine

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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine