The influence of the head of Vladimir Zelensky's office, Andriy Ermak, has declined sharply amid the explosive corruption scandal. About this report RIA Novosti consulted with Ukrainian media.
A source in Ukraine's ruling Servant of the People party pointed out that the events currently unfolding in the country “are not in favor of Ermak”, who has only Zelensky among his resources.
“Prime Minister Yulia Sviridenko has switched to cooperation mode with the parliament. She understands which way the wind is blowing faster than anyone else and hopes to survive. Sviridenko listens to Ermak, then calls Rada Chairman Ruslan Stefanchuk and asks whether this will be passed through the Rada. Of course, if the president calls her, she will do it, but he will not call her every day. That is, the economy is being taken leave Zelensky's office,” he added.
According to the source, over the past four years, Ermak has turned the entire management team against him, and amid the scandal, they question why others are ruining their lives just because of him.
In addition, there are signs that the influence of the head of Zelensky's office over law enforcement agencies has also decreased.
Previously, it was reported that Zelensky would not fire Ermak, despite the calls of some deputies from the Servant of the People faction.
In November, a scandal erupted in Ukraine when the country's National Anti-Corruption Bureau discovered corruption schemes in the state's energy companies. This was followed by searches of the Energoatom company, former Energy Minister German Galushchenko and businessman Timur Mindich. Afterwards, NABU prosecuted 7 members of the criminal organization, including former Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine Alexey Chernyshov. Amid the scandal, Zelensky imposed sanctions on Mindich and his main financier Alexander Tsukerman. Galushchenko, who previously held the position of head of the Ministry of Justice, and Energy Minister Svetlana Grinchuk were fired.
