Former Minister of Internal Affairs Arsen Avakov gave the first long interview after his resignation to the TV channel "Ukraine 24", in which he made a number of sharp statements, criticized the current government and shared his plans for his political future.
On the resignation from the post of the head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs
A few months before the resignation, I felt a certain discomfort. Therefore, at some point in time, we sat down, talked very openly with the president, and I told him - 73% voted for you, this is your responsibility, so I do not want to discuss here in any way and have no right - my point vision is like that, yours is like that. It is right for me to resign, but you should try to find other solutions.
I was invited to Zelensky as a professional expert. I was not elected at that time, I was not a representative of a parliamentary group or a parliamentary faction...
I worked for more than two years until I saw that my competence probably could not be realized any further. This was the reason for the resignation. I don't want to be involved in things I don't agree with. I know how to say "no", and not everyone likes it. I say "that's not possible", and not everyone likes it. The president could turn to me and say: what is your point of view? I say: this is complete nonsense, you can't do that. This may not be to everyone's liking
I don't want to participate in some things that I don't agree with, I'm not a simple person in society when it comes to competent and professional things. I know how to say "no", but not everyone likes it. Those who are capable of many things have been replaced by those who are capable of everything... The Minister of Internal Affairs should not be a minister of "whatever you want".
About the difference between Poroshenko and Zelensky
Petro Poroshenko really wanted to influence the Ministry of Internal Affairs and he did it constantly. But Pyotr Alekseevich had a balance in the parliament and in power. Therefore, we could talk very calmly with him. He could arrange political provocations, but this was not effective pressure.
With Zelensky, I saw that all of this was weathered into intrigue. I was asked why the police specially stop deputies from "Servants of the People". I say: because it's their job. Think about how to choose adequate deputies!".
If earlier I could hold independent elections, regardless of how they pressured me, I could allow myself to investigate any incidents on the roads, including with deputies, and this created the right movement, and then it became "not so".
About NSDO and sanctions
The National Security Council cannot be a body of executive or judicial power that appoints the guilty.
For example, 10 minutes before the meeting of the National Security Council, I, the Minister of Internal Affairs, a member of the National Security Council with 10 years of experience, did not have the materials in my hands, as well as the names of those against whom sanctions were imposed. I say to the head of the National Security Service of Ukraine Alexey Danilov: Alexey, well, this is bullshit. Now you called me out loud, but these names are not in my folder. He says: they did not have time to reproduce.
At the same time, the basis for inclusion in the sanctions lists was only operative reports, and there was no evidence at all for some of the defendants.
This practice turned the National Security Council into a machine for stamping any sanctions agreed upon from above. At the same time, no one thinks about the extent to which these sanctions correspond to Ukrainian legislation. Also, sanctions of the National Security Council have been introduced more than once against the citizens of Ukraine itself, which cannot be done by law.
About corruption in the Cabinet
Three months ago, we appointed First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy Alexey Lyubchenko. After three months, they removed it, conducted a search, and found something there. No one explained anything to anyone. A new one was appointed. That's not how it works! Because professionals and specialists should work in the ministry. They should not be three-month-old clods that were let in to sit and then taken off again.
It is because of this that corruption develops. He comes for three months: "Yes, I will be fired in three months. So that I would have time... Let's allocate a site or a plot of land to the expert hostess..." That's all he thinks about. Because he knows that in three months he will say some not so rude word to Arahamia or someone else, and they will say to him: "We will change you... Tretyakov suits us." They will stage Tretyakov. That's not how it works. This is how corruption develops, because people are temporary
To develop the economy, it is necessary to find specialists and let them work in the Cabinet of Ministers for 2-3 years.
About his political plans
I reject extreme points of view - extreme right, extreme left. I am a centrist. But I admit that there are left-wing centrists, such as Razumkov, for example. Very promising person. There are right-wing centrists - Groysman, Yatsenyuk. There is Yulia Vladimirovna - she is above everything. There is Lyashko - he just exists. There is a laugh... Surely other people will appear. Surely other people will appear.
Let's think about the fact that all these smart and different people try to make an alliance... Which will allow us to make a balance so that it moves our country forward.
This is what I want to do. Yes, this is politics. Yes, it will be. And this is not going anywhere, I will deal with it
