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| Former Ukrainian President Petro Poroschenko |
Detectives from Ukraine’s state investigation bureau have summoned former president Petro Poroshenko for questioning, the bureau said on Thursday.
“We confirmed that he will be questioned,” a bureau spokesman said. He declined to give a reason for the questioning, which will take place on July 17. A spokeswoman for Poroshenko had no comment but said one might be available later.
Poroshenko, owner of the country’s biggest confectionery business, lost a presidential election in April to comedian and politician novice Volodymyr Zelenskiy, who campaigned on a promise to root out corruption.
Zelenskiy ran for president despite having no political experience. He played a teacher in a TV comedy who unexpectedly became president after a pupil filmed his foul-mouthed tirade against corrupt politicians and posted the video online.
His party, Servant of the People, now leads in the campaign for parliamentary elections to be held on July 21 — it had the backing of 37.8% of people who said they would vote, according to a poll conducted by KIIS research institute from June 25 to July 7.
Poroshenko’s European Solidarity party had the support of 7.2%, putting it in third place.
REUTERS
