In an interview with Babel, Danylo Hetmantsev, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Customs and Tax Policy, responded to a petition for his resignation, which has already been signed by thousands of people.
"I am just fine with it. Why it arose is a question to its initiators, and my attitude is good. Can you imagine that in Russia? For example, regarding [Prime Minister Mikhail] Mishustin? I do not compare positions, I just do not know the names of their chairman of the tax committee. Can you imagine thousands of signatures being collected in Russia for his resignation? So, we live and work properly. Unlike them, we have a democracy. I think it is now the most developed in the world," Hetmantsev said.
Hetmantsev called the arguments presented by the authors of the petition "another portion of myths."
"I do not want to shock you, but any state wants to collect as many taxes as possible. The question is in the golden mean and balance. This balance, during our stay in power, we have managed to find, are still managing to find, and hopefully will be able to find in the future. No one will argue with the thesis that we should raise more money for development, social standards, now for war, but do so without harming business development. What is proper taxation? It is an art to pluck a goose so that it does not scream," Hetmantsev explained.
In addition, one of the signatoriesʼ demands is that Hetmantsev be removed not only from the position of chairman of the committee, but also from the National Council, which was formed under the president to overcome the consequences of the war. "Voluntarily? No. Please tell, why? Explain it to me," Hetmantsev replied.
Hetmantsev called the information that the MP and Deputy Chairman of the Servant of the People faction Mykola Tyshchenko had been appointed to this National Council a fabrication of "self-proclaimed Facebook professors."