Another party filed a counterclaim.
The Eighth Court of Appeal of Lviv June 14 banned the activities of the party of the former Kherson leader Volodymyr Saldo Bloc and the Derzhava party, where Kherson collaborator Kyrylo Stremousov was a member of the Development Council. reports the Chesno movement following the court hearing, the property of these parties and all their branches, according to the court decision, is transferred to the state. But the decision itself can be appealed to the Supreme Court.
As journalists were not allowed to attend the court hearing, the Ministry of Justice's justification for banning political forces is unknown at this time. The regional pro-Russian political project was registered in 2019, shortly before the 2020 local elections. Volodymyr Saldo ran for mayor of Kherson from the party. His candidacy was supported by the OPZH party, which may also be banned.
After the full-scale Russian invasion, Saldo is working for the occupiers, a criminal case of treason has been opened against him.
Party “ State ”Was registered in 1999. The founders of the party were Volodymyr Bachygin and Natalia Shmygina, the first chairman of the party was Vasyl Shevchenko. The Political Force positioned itself as a center-left and pro-Russian party, claiming thousands of members and branches in all regions of the country. In 2021, the Derzhava party rebranded and took as its basis the state quality mark of the Soviet Union, but gave it its own interpretation – calling it a sign of political quality.
In 2020, the party was led by Dmytro Vasylets, a blogger and propagandist who had previously been arrested on charges of aiding Russian militants and aiding the separatist Novorossiya TV channel. After the start of a large-scale Russian war against Ukraine, Vasylets accuses the West of Russia's attack on Ukraine and echoes the Kremlin's propaganda lie that Ukraine deserved to be destroyed because it “destroyed Donbas for eight years.”
meeting in the case on the ban on the Progressive Socialist Party of Ukraine , headed by Natalia Vitrenko . The hearings in the case have been postponed to June 23.
Chesno said it was the first party to file a counterclaim and try to defend itself, as representatives of already banned parties did not appear in court./p>
The Progressive Socialist Party of Ukraine was registered in 1996 and has been led by Natalia Vitrenko ever since. She ran unsuccessfully for the party in the 1999 and 2004 presidential elections. In its program, it promised that Ukraine would not join NATO, and proposed an intergovernmental alliance with Russia and Belarus. In 10 years, the party did not gain even 1.5%.
Earlier, the court banned Opoblok, NASHI, Socialists, Justice and Development.
Read also: The court banned another pro-Russian party from the list of the Ministry of Justice
, March 20, President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a decision of the National Security Council, which during the war suspended the activities of 11 political parties.
Later, May 14, The President signed the Law “On Amendments to Certain Legislative Acts of Ukraine on the Prohibition of Political Parties” . The document expands the list of grounds for banning a political party in court. In particular, the grounds are justification, recognition of the lawfulness or denial of armed aggression against Ukraine.
So far, the Ministry of Justice has filed lawsuits to ban 12 parties : “Opposition Platform – For Life”, “Opposition Bloc” “,” Sharia Party “,” Nashi “,” Left Opposition “,” Union of Left Forces “,” State “,” Progressive Socialist Party of Ukraine “,” Socialist Party of Ukraine “,” Socialists “,” Vladimir Saldo Bloc “,” Russia is one. ”
