Zelensky criticises Musk over "concentration of power in one person's hands"

President's comment on billionaire's influence

Head of State Volodymyr Zelensky expressed concern over the excessive concentration of executive powers in the hands of a single individual. He paid particular attention to the situation where vast wealth is combined with influence, mentioning American billionaire Elon Musk.

«Багато влади у дуже багатої людини — це концентрація влади, а це небезпечно. Концентрація влади в однієї людини, яка не має стільки грошей, — це також небезпечно. У цьому й полягає сенс розподілу влади, щоб усе не було зосереджено в одних руках» ("A lot of power in a very wealthy person — that is a concentration of power, and that is dangerous. The concentration of power in one person who does not have that much money — that is also dangerous. That is the point of the separation of powers, so that everything is not concentrated in one person's hands"), Zelensky emphasised.

Reference to domestic political context

Alongside general considerations regarding the safety of power mechanisms, the author of the original message drew attention to the current domestic political situation in Ukraine. Referring to the president's actions, it was noted that Volodymyr Zelensky has maintained influence over the Verkhovna Rada, the government, and the majority of law enforcement agencies for more than one presidential term.