Main points
- The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine has recalled Viktoria Yakymova from the position of honorary consul in the Dominican Republic due to public outcry.
- Yakimova stated that her activities as an honorary consul were a personal contribution, and she did not hide her past.
Victoria Yakymova was recalled from the Dominican Republic / Collage of Channel 24
Viktoriya Yakimova was appointed honorary consul of Ukraine in the Dominican Republic, but this caused quite a stir due to her scandalous past. Now the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has reacted to this and recalled the official.
Ukrinform reports on the reasons for the removal of the consul.
Why was the newly appointed consul recalled?
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, in connection with the public outcry regarding the appointment of an honorary consul in the Dominican Republic, conducted an additional check and revoked the patent of Victoria Yakymova. The Ukrainian ambassador to Cuba was also recalled.
The department recalled that honorary consuls are not employees of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, are not in the state or diplomatic service, do not receive a salary or funds from the state budget, and are not endowed with the functions of political representation of Ukraine, unlike consuls of Ukraine. The institute of honorary consuls usually provides voluntary assistance on a specific narrow range of issues, primarily in the protection of Ukrainian citizens, the ministry explained.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that when selecting Victoria Yakymova for the position of honorary consul in the Dominican Republic, the Ambassador of Ukraine to Cuba was guided by the criteria defined by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine. Among them:
- The candidate's long-term residence in the country.
- Availability of Ukrainian and foreign higher education, in particular a master's degree with honors.
- Knowledge of languages.
- Experience in government, auditing and administrative activities, expertise in the field of digital technologies.
- Recommendations regarding professional and business qualities.
- Activities to develop Ukrainian-Dominican relations.
The check, in particular regarding public activities and ties with Russia, was carried out with the involvement of the competent authorities of Ukraine, there were no objections to the appointment,
– the Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasized.
At that time, the candidate had already repeatedly organized field consular services, events in support of Ukraine, charitable initiatives, and other events aimed at strengthening relations between the countries.
However, the materials published in the media caused a sharp and negative public outcry, after which the Ministry of Foreign Affairs conducted an additional check and revoked the patent, in particular, taking into account the opening of a full-fledged embassy of Ukraine in the Dominican Republic this year.
Why did her appointment cause public outcry?
After the news of the appointment, many Ukrainians were outraged on the Internet. One of the main triggers was the erotic photos on Yakimova's social networks. People also criticized her for photos in a kokoshnik taken before the full-scale invasion, which Victoria deleted. Also in March 2023, the future honorary consul reacted disapprovingly to the news of the closure of the Google office in Russia.
Victoria herself said that thanks to the opening of the consulate in the city of La Romana, all Ukrainians in the Dominican Republic had the opportunity to receive assistance.
My activities and all related expenses are my personal contribution and the contribution of my family. When applying for the position of Honorary Consul, I did not try to hide my previous life associated with modeling. A modern self-sufficient woman has the right to realize herself in her chosen profession, as well as to change the direction of development and grow,
Yakimova said.
What is known about events in Latin America?
-
Trump joked about running for president of Venezuela, saying he has a higher approval rating than any other politician in the South American country.
-
The US president is also making plans for Cuba. One of Trump's goals is to establish control over Cuba and influence the situation in the country.
-
On Monday, April 6, a powerful explosion occurred near the Panama Canal Bridge. The fire quickly spread to the surrounding area and engulfed the bridge. The fire then reached fuel tanks, which caused a powerful detonation.