The Hungarian authorities have denied refugee status to former Ukrainian MP Oleksandr Shepelev, a diplomatic source told Interfax-Ukraine.
“Hungary has denied refugee status to Shepelev,” the source said on Monday, Sept.30.
As reported, in April 2012, the chief of the main investigation department of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), Ivan Derevianko, said a criminal case had been opened against an MP of the fifth and sixth convocations (2006-2012), Shepelev, in February 2011. The SBU suspects Shepelev of being involved in the embezzlement of the funds of Rodovid Bank worth over Hr 220 million, as well as being involved, along with businessman Pavlo Borulko, in the embezzlement of public funds of the refinancing of the National Bank of Ukraine worth Hr 315.3 million in March-May 2009.
At the same time, Shepelev strongly denied all of the allegations against him, and said that the accusations made against him could be an attempt to draw the attention of mass media away from claims by Borulko that some employees of the SBU are involved in blackmail. Shepelev also said he was not going to leave Ukraine.
On January 28, 2013, the Interior Ministry of Ukraine reported that Shepelev had been put on the international wanted list.
At the beginning of July 2013, Shepelev was detained for 40 days in Budapest, where he had used a Hungarian passport with a false name.
The Hungarian media reported that Shepelev and his wife have asked Hungary for asylum.
