Olexander Paliy: Change of Ukrainian Ambassador will affect Belarus-Ukraine relations in no way

Mikhail Ezhel wasn’t recalled earlier because he worked well together with Aliaksandr Lukashenka.

Ukraine President Petro Poroshenko recalls Ukrainian Ambassador to Belarus Mikhail Ezhel. Ukraine President announced that on April 26 at the press conference in Niakalaevski region.

“I made a decision to recall him”, - Poroshenko stated. Ukraine President noted that the documents for the new Ambassador to Belarus are being made ready. Poroshenko emphasized that Belarus is playing a very important role in realization of foreign politics and security policy. That is why “constant presence of Ukraine” should be organized in Minsk, said the President.

Mikhail Ezhel occupied the position of an Ambassador since 2013. Before that he used to be Ukraine Defence Minister for two years. It is for the high position under the former president Viktor Yanukovich that the deputies in Verkhovna Rada demanded to recall Ezhel.

In August 2014 General Prosecutor’s Office stated that the former Defence Minister is a suspect within the frames of the investigation of penal manufactures that are related to the destruction of Ukraine’s army rear protection.

Ukrainian political scientist Aleksandr Paliy in the interview with “EuroBelarus” Information Service told about the reasons for recalling Ukrainian Ambassador to Belarus.

- What stands behind the recall of the Ukrainian Ambassador to Belarus Mikhail Ezhel?

- I have the information that the main complaints have to do with his work as the Defence Minister. But in fact, we need to put claims to all Defence Ministers since the army was robbed.

- What played decisive role in Ezhel’s recall: charges of causing large damages to the state when heading the Defence Ministry or some other motives?

- 42 million hryvnias of damages infringed to the state during his leadership in the Defence Ministry is the least of what was proved.

- Talks about recall of the Ukrainian Ambassador started immediately after Maidan. Why did the official Kiev needed one and a half years to initiate it?

Mikhail Ezhel wasn’t recalled earlier because he worked well together with Aliaksandr Lukashenka, and that is important for a diplomat.

- New Ambassador should be patriotic, professional, and be able to present Ukraine’s interests in Belarus. Taking into account the policy of the official Minsk towards Ukraine, what other qualities should the new Ukrainian Ambassador have? Who can have pretensions of taking this position?

- In this meaning, the new Ambassador should be the same – find it easy to work with the leadership of our country, i.e. with the one person.

- How will the change of the Ambassador affect Belarus-Ukraine relations? And will it affect them at all?

- I think that the change of the Ambassador will affect Belarus-Ukraine relations in no way, as politics is still determined by the presidents. An Ambassador only determines style and contacts at best.