President Viktor Yushchenko demands the resignation of the head of the Volyn militia, Mykhailo Lebid.

"I think you need to do what the previous speaker did – submit a resignation report," said Yushchenko, dissatisfied with Lebid's report during a meeting of the Ministry of Internal Affairs board on Monday.

Yushchenko criticized his work, noting: "It seems that you and the regional prosecutor have been copulating like two bulls, covering for each other..."

Yushchenko added that everyone knows that for a car from the West to enter Ukraine illegally, "you need to bring it through the Volyn customs, register it through the Volyn MREO, and you'll be all set."

Yushchenko reproached the fact that in Volyn the entire militia leadership had not been fully replaced.

"We must 100% change the leadership. This is not a subject for discussion, this is my demand!" said Yushchenko.

Also during the meeting, Yushchenko set a demand to eliminate all organized criminal groups in Ukraine by January 1, 2006, with responsibility for this assigned to Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Hennadiy Moskal.

During the Ministry of Internal Affairs board meeting, Yushchenko criticized the ministry's activity for the fact that criminal groups are only being registered rather than eliminated.

"How many organized crime groups have you registered? Is this like the communists registering party members?" Yushchenko asked rhetorically.

"Tell me, how can this be: a man in uniform, with all the mandates, registers, tracks the life of an authority for years? I am amazed that in our audience there is talk: 'Oh, we know (one criminal authority), his nickname is Morda, another is Moldovanyn, a third is Patsan... If we know this, how do we wear the uniform?'"

"How many divisions do you need me to give you so that this Morda is gone? This is a specific nickname of one of the thugs!" added Yushchenko.

"Until the last organized crime group, the last thief-in-law is destroyed, there will be no honor for your epaulettes," he warned.

Present Interior Minister Yuriy Lutsenko said that currently 78 criminal groups remain, and his deputy Hennadiy Moskal "is taking on a militia obligation to eliminate these groups by the end of the year."

"If this terminology persists after January 1, then neither General Moskal nor many of you will be needed. Boys, roll up your sleeves and start working!" said Yushchenko.