Zelensky says all his meetings with big business reps to be public

KYIV. Oct 4 (Interfax-Ukraine) – President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky notes that his meetings with representatives of big business should be public, and their main consequence is political responsibility, the presidential website has reported.

At a press conference in Truskavets, Lviv region, following a meeting with members of the Servant of the People parliamentary faction, Zelensky answered the question of what responsibility the president will bear for non-public meetings with oligarchs under the new anti-oligarchic law, Zelensky said: "I have the greatest responsibility for such meetings, so I’m interested in making them public."

"I have political responsibility. It will hit the president, the President’s Office, the rating of the authorities and then the rating of the party, because the rating of the Servant of the People party very much depends on the rating of President Zelensky," he said.

The head of state stressed that he is interested in meeting with representatives of big business to solve national problems, in particular, to counter the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, according to him, if Ukraine gets the right to host the Winter Olympic Games, big business will be able to join the development of sports infrastructure facilities. But such meetings must be public.

The President also said that the Servant of the People faction in the Verkhovna Rada protects parliament from the influence of financial groups. "I am now strengthening this ‘wall’ with such legislative initiatives as the law on oligarchs. I protect the statehood of our country," Zelensky said.