Ukraine's Prosecutor General Says US Ambassador Gave Him 'Do Not Prosecute' List

Ukrainian Prosecutor General Yuriy Lutsenko said in an interview on Wednesday that US Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Jovanovich has presented him with a list of people he should not prosecute

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 20th March, 2019) Ukrainian Prosecutor General Yuriy Lutsenko said in an interview on Wednesday that US Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Jovanovich has presented him with a list of people he should not prosecute.

"Unfortunately, from the first meeting with the US ambassador in Kiev, [Jovanovich] gave me a list of people whom we should not prosecute," Lutsenko told Hill.TV.

Lutsenko said he considers the US ambassador's move to give him instructions as to whom he may not prosecute "inadmissible."

"Nobody in this country, neither our president nor our parliament nor our ambassador, will stop me from prosecuting if there is a crime," Lutsenko said.

The US State Department denied Lutsenko's allegations, saying they are "an outright fabrication," the report said.

The State Department said the United States has in the past supported the Ukraine Prosecutor General's Office efforts to undertake reforms, but currently is not providing assistance to Lutsenko.

Lutsenko also said the General Prosecutor's office has not received about $4 million that the US embassy was expected to provide.

The funds were designated, but never received, Lutsenko said.

Lutsenko became Ukraine's Prosecutor General in 2016. Jovanovich was sworn as US ambassador to Ukraine last August.