Opening photo: AFP/OZAN KOSE
The Ukrainian anti-corruption agency considers Agriculture Minister Mykola Solsky as a suspect in the investigation into the illegal acquisition of state land worth 291 million hryvnias (2.4 billion forints).
Since his appointment in March 2022, Solskyi has overseen the grain sector.
The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine announced in a statement that it uncovered a criminal organization led by a current minister. Although Solskjaer was not named directly, the suspect was the former chairman of the parliamentary agriculture committee.
According to the charges, Solsky led a group that was involved in the expropriation of agricultural land in the northeastern Sumy region between 2017 and 2021.
Under the guise of the government’s agricultural land use program, this group allegedly destroyed documents confirming the land rights of state-owned enterprises and then transferred those rights to individuals associated with the group.
In a statement, Solsky said he was cooperating with authorities and emphasized that the activities under investigation predated his time in government and related to his years as a lawyer. Thanks to the revelation, he prevented the criminal group from acquiring another 3,300 hectares of land worth nearly 4.5 million euros (1.8 billion forints). Solsky and his alleged accomplices were placed under official suspicion.
The 44-year-old politician owns several agricultural businesses and is one of the richest Ukrainian officials.
Last year, the anti-corruption office accused one of his deputies of being involved in an embezzlement case related to the procurement of humanitarian aid. Solsky was elected to the Ukrainian parliament in 2019 and was appointed agriculture minister in March 2022, shortly after Russia invaded the country. In recent weeks, Ukrainian media have reported that he has fallen out of favor with Zelenskyi and that he is being considered for dismissal.
Tags: Zelenskyis man failed important ministers accused corruption
