Ukraine’s third-largest bank fired its chairman today after a video of a fight in his office with journalists investigating the bank’s lending practices, Reuters reported.
The state creditor Ukreximbank said in a statement that it had removed Eugene Metzger and apologized to journalists.
“As a result of an emergency meeting, the Supervisory Board of Ukreximbank decided to terminate the powers of the Chairman of the Board of Ukreximbank, Mr. Metzger, while the internal investigation carried out by the Supervisory Board is ongoing,” the statement said. The supervisory board apologized to journalists, “as well as to the media and civil society for the unforgivable and inappropriate behavior of the chairman of the board and representatives of the bank.”
Police have launched a criminal investigation into the fight with Radio Liberty journalists, and Metzger said he would resign if police found him guilty of a crime.
Metzger was not reached for comment, but said in a statement: “There is no excuse for my overly emotional reaction and my unbridled behavior towards journalists. I am fully aware of my responsibility.”
According to Radio Liberty, bank employees attacked a film crew from its show “Schemes”, which were investigating a loan given by the bank. In a statement, the bank denied violating the law on loans and said bank secrecy laws did not allow it to discuss the issue.
Radio Liberty said it had managed to restore a recording showing the confrontation with Metzger, despite the bank’s attempt to erase it.
The video shows Metzger refusing to give an interview and ordering officers to confiscate the cameras and destroy all recordings. He is heard saying: Go to the computer support boys and get rid of this nonsense.
The video has spread like wildfire on social media with more than 343,000 views on YouTube since it was posted on Tuesday. The incident was also criticized by a senior adviser to President Volodymyr Zelensky.
“Freedom of speech is one of Ukraine’s fundamental values,” said Mykhailo Podoliak, an adviser to the president’s secretary general.
“The pattern of behavior that the public has seen from the bank’s representatives is unacceptable,” he added.
–
