Prosecutor General Yury Chaika has found a new way to cooperate with the military.
Photo: Dmitry Lebedev
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Russia’s New Prosecutor Comes to Terms with the Military
New Prosecutor General Yury Chaika declared peace with the Defense Ministry on Friday, calling his predecessors’ activities “politicized” and promising to cooperate with the military.
“The Chief Military Prosecutor’s Office has lately acted as an outside observer and politicized a number of acute problems,” Prosecutor General Yury Chaika said at a session of the Chief Military Prosecutor’s Office on Friday. Chaika has thus confessed sins of his predecessor, ex-Prosecutor General Vladimir Ustinov and his associate, Chief Military Prosecutor Alexander Savenkov. The latter unleashed a war with the military last pointing to an alarming rise in hazing in the army. Defense Minister Sergey Ivanov retorted that the military have to solve most of the crimes without any substantial assistance from prosecutors.
The conflict culminated during the investigation into the case of Andrey Sychev who was crippled in the army, according to the prosecutor’s office. Minister Sergey Ivanov, however, hinted that the case was much inspired by the prosecutors. “There are certain forces eager to capitalize on present tensions in the army,” he said.
High-ranks of the Prosecutor General’s Office were overhauled in the heat of the Sychev probe, and experts noted that Sergey Ivanov had overcome his rivals.
Yesterday’s speech by Yury Chaika confirms that that attack is over, and prosecutors are ready to cooperate.
Valentina Melnikova, chairperson of the Union of the Committees of Soldier’s Mothers of Russia, is convinced that Yury Chaika’s stance is “wrong and anti-prosecutor’s.”
“In fact, it’s he who is politicizing when he says he will have no conflicts with the military. He has actually given his people an order not to delve into military crimes,” Melnikova said.
Yury Chaika also suggested creating a special unit for inquest at the Defense Ministry. Earlier, the military commanders were empowered by the prosecutor’s office to be in charge of primary inquest. Chaika mentioned that commanders would not be stripped of these powers and more crimes would be reported as commanders are primarily interested in hiding crimes in their units. The Defense Ministry endorsed the initiative.
Prosecutors hope that the new body will help them probe into cases with no obstacles put by the military. As cooperation was declared at the Defense Ministry and the Prosecutor General’s Office, the military will not be afraid that prosecutors will investigate only military commanders’ offences.
Yulia Taratuta
All the Article in Russian as of Aug. 05, 2006
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