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Ukrainian Court Disavows Yushchenko's Decision To Dismiss Chief Prosecutor


Svyatoslav Piskun (file photo) (epa) 18 November 2005 --  A court in Kyiv today ruled that President Viktor Yushenko's decision to sack then-Prosecutor-General Svyatoslav Piskun last month was illegal.

The panel also ruled that Piskun must be restored to his post.

Yushchenko's representative at the hearings, Serhiy Holovatiy, said the president would appeal against the court's decision within 10 days.

Piskun, in turn, expressed satisfaction with the ruling.

But he hinted that he might not return to work as prosecutor-general, saying his insistence that he be reinstated to his post was "a matter of principle."

Yushchenko fired Piskun on 14 October, accusing him of dragging out important investigations.

Piskun claims he was dismissed because he had ordered that a criminal probe into one of Yushchenko's closest allies, former National Security Council Secretary Petro Poroshenko, be launched. The abuse-of-office case against Poroshenko was closed shortly after Piskun was fired.

("Ukrainska pravda "/"U krainsky noviny "/Unian)

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