The former head of the Office of the President Andriy Yermak renewed his attorney license, which had previously been suspended. The information appeared in the Unified Register of the National Association of Advocates of Ukraine and immediately sparked a wave of discussion on social networks. This was stated by the Iron Deputy Yaroslav Zheleznyak.
According to the register, the license was renewed at the end of January. Yermak himself has been a lawyer since the mid 1990s, so formally regaining the status was not news. At the same time, this move coincided with the active phase of the NABU investigation, within which searches were conducted on him on November 28.
Renewal of Andriy Yermak's attorney status
After the renewal of the license, public versions appeared suggesting that such a step could complicate serving a suspicion or be a way to avoid mobilization. However, as lawyers explain, in NABU and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office proceedings the charge can be served by the head of SAP, so attorney status does not shield from investigative actions.
Also in court there was consideration of an appeal against the seizure of property seized during searches of Yermak's apartment. The seizure remained in effect. It concerns, in particular, electronic information storage devices.
NABU investigation and possible consequences
Journalists noted that a criminal proceeding related to suspicions of illegal enrichment is mentioned in court documents. According to the investigation, additional searches were conducted also on people from Yermak's close circle, in particular his driver. This may indicate an expansion of the circle of those involved in the case.
Experts emphasize that the renewal of the attorney license does not change the essence of the investigation and does not affect the powers of anti corruption authorities. The decisive results remain the outcomes of investigative actions and the position of the court.
Recall that earlier Yaroslav Zheleznyak stated that during peak periods Ukraine used only about 30% of available capacity for electricity imports.