You're reading: Chernovetsky to remain Kyiv mayor despite alleged dual citizenship, says Interior Ministry

Leonid Chernovetsky cannot be dismissed as Kyiv mayor while he is a citizen of Ukraine, the head of the citizenship department of the state department for citizenship, migration and registration of the Interior Ministry of Ukraine Iryna Fadeyeva has said.

"Under the current legislation it is impossible to dismiss from work or state service a person that has obtained the citizenship of another state, even if it is proved," she said during a panel discussion in Kyiv on Friday.

According to her, a person can be dismissed from the state service only if he or she loses Ukrainian citizenship.

According to the Ukrainian legislation, voluntary obtaining the citizenship of another country has been considered a reason for depriving a person of Ukrainian citizenship since 1997 after respected amendments were made to Ukrainian legislation.

Fadeyeva said that if a person obtained a second citizenship before 1997, there are no reasons to lose citizenship of Ukraine and the person retains dual citizenship, while being considered a Ukrainian in legal terms on the territory of Ukraine.

Regions Party MP and First Deputy Head of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Legislative Support of Law Enforcement Volodymyr Oliynyk said if the information about dual citizenship obtained before 1997 is officially confirmed, the Foreign Ministry of Ukraine has to prepare an instruction, which would be considered by the commission under the president of Ukraine.

Oliynyk added that instructions approved by Chernovetsky as Kyiv mayor remain legal.

"From the moment he loses [Ukrainian] citizenship his actions would be illegal, but until that time he remains a citizen of Ukraine," the MP said.

Media reported earlier that Chernovetsky has been citizen of Israel since 1994.

The Justice Ministry of Ukraine said it had no information about the possible second citizenship of Kyiv Mayor Leonid Chernovetsky.