You're reading: Yanukovych: Prosecutor General quit because he wanted to

Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych said on Wednesday the reason why he had discharged Oleksandr Medvedko as Ukraine's prosecutor general was that Medvedko himself had requested this.

"He asked me because his constitutional five-year term of office is over. Under the law, he has a right to keep working, in other words to continue his work with approval in the Verkhovna Rada [parliament] at the decision of the Ukrainian president," the presidential press service quoted Yanukovych as telling reporters in Luhansk, Ukraine.

The president cited Medvedko as saying to him the prosecution service needs modernization, that the entire law enforcement system needs reforming, and that there should be rotation of senior staff in it. Medvedko said all this explained his decision to go, according to Yanukovych.

The president said a new position would be picked for Medvedko within days.

Meanwhile, Yanukovych tipped Viktor Pshonka for prosecutor general. In explaining this, he said: "It is very important to have a continuity of staff in this matter."