Defense Minister Anatoliy Hrytsenko is ready to recall his offensive statement regarding Speaker Oleksandr Moroz, if the Speaker does the same, according to Ukrayinska Pravda.
That is what Mr. Hrytsenko told to journalists on Wednesday making comments on PM Viktor Yanukovych’s demand to apologize to Mr. Moroz at the Wednesday session of the Cabinet.
“After the talk I decided the information clash with the Verkhovna Rada Speaker had ended. He has hurled false accusations to me, and I responded,” said Mr. Hrytsenko.
“I will recall my statement, if Oleksandr Moroz recalls his, as he was the first who advanced a remark.”
The Defense Minister reminded that Mr. Moroz had argued the decision on shifting the Institute of Ground Forces from Odesa to Lviv by the private interests of some officials of the Defense Ministry. Mr. Hrytsenko disagreed with this statement, calling Mr. Moroz an amateur.
The Defense Minister revealed that 10 minutes of the Cabinet session “were devoted to a lecture about ethical aspects of collaboration with the Verkhovna Rada”.
“We have discussed how the ministers should react to offenses as this is not just a matter of Mr. Hrytsenko.”
According to the Minister, “the PM respects the right of each minister to act suitably and tries to balance the fragile relations between Verkhovna Rada and the Cabinet of Ministers”.
Mr. Hrytsenko is certain “it is not necessary to react to all the statements made”.
“For instance, the Communists has recently said that I wrecked the army. I will not respond to it.”
The Minister remarked the conflict with the Speaker had not hampered the work of the Cabinet.
“A number of decisions on the Defense Minister were made. The PM has accepted them professionally and quite positively.”
