Amidst Scrutiny: Ukraine’s Agriculture Minister Resigns over Land Misappropriation Allegations

In the wake of accusations of alleged misappropriation of state-owned land worth 5 million euros, Ukraine’s Minister of Agriculture, Mikola Solski, tendered his resignation on Thursday. The President of the Verkhovna Rada, Ruslan Stefanchuk, confirmed receipt of Solski’s resignation letter and stated that a decision would be made during upcoming sessions of Parliament. Solski called his resignation “the correct step” given the circumstances.

The Anti-Corruption Office had accused Solski of misappropriating nearly 2,500 hectares of state-owned land in northern Ukraine while practicing as a lawyer in a company that received the land for use between 2017 and 2021. The office sought preventive detention on bail of 4.7 million euros for Solski, who has maintained his innocence, referring to the events as a “dispute” between state companies and individuals that occurred seven years ago.

Solski’s resignation comes amidst an ongoing investigation and legal proceedings surrounding the alleged misappropriation of state-owned land. The situation has raised significant concerns about corruption within Ukraine’s agricultural sector and has garnered widespread attention both domestically and internationally. As Parliament considers Solski’s resignation, uncertainty surrounds the future leadership of the Ministry of Agriculture.