Azarov Government
Encyclopedia
The first Azarov Government was appointed on March 11, 2010 as part of the "Stability and Reform" coalition between the Party of Regions
, Lytvyn Bloc and the Communist Party of Ukraine
in the Verkhovna Rada
, Ukraine
's parliament. The current government is led by Prime Minister
Mykola Azarov
, who succeeded the ousted second Tymoshenko Government
led by ex-Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko
.
The Azarov Government is working in cooperation with Ukrainian President
and head of state Viktor Yanukovych
.
A November 2010 Razumkov Centre
nationwide survey showed that only 13.2 percent of respondents fully support the Azarov Government while 45 percent stated they did not.
amended its regulations to define a parliamentary coalition as an alliance of parliamentary factions and individual parliamentary deputies constituting the majority of the parliament’s constitutional composition while the Constitutional Court of Ukraine
in September 2008 had defined a parliamentary coalition as an alliance of parliamentary factions that consists of at least 226 parliamentary deputies. The reason for that was a hardship of creating a coalition out of the three parliamentary factions Bloc Lytvyn, Communist Party of Ukraine
, and Party of regions
, combining only 219 and few members short of the necessary number. For that purpose it was decided to form what was defined as a "coalition of tushki" (Cyrillic: тушки, meaning "defectors") consisting out of several members other factions (NUNS and BYuT). One of the leader of the Party of Regions
and the head of the parliamentary procedural committee, Oleksandr Yefremov stated that party will request the Constitutional Court to elucidate the clauses of this law unless the Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc faction does it. According to President
Viktor Yanukovych
, Ukraine could not afford early parliamentary elections
because "the prolonged political instability would provoke a worsening of the economic crisis in the country
".
Ukrainian lawmakers formed a new coalition on March 11, 2010 which included Bloc Lytvyn, Communist Party of Ukraine
and Party of regions
. 235 deputies from the 450-member parliament had signed the coalition agreement. The same day the Our Ukraine- People's Self Defense faction officially announces that would be in opposition to the new coalition. On March 3, 2010 Bloc Yulia Tymoshenko had already moved into opposition. According to Bloc Yulia Tymoshenko the forming of the coalition was a coup d'etat
.
On March 11, 2010 Bloc Yulia Tymoshenko appealed to the Central Election Commission of Ukraine
to terminate the parliamentary mandates of its six parliamentarians who had joined the new parliamentary coalition.
The Verkhovna Rada appointed Mykola Azarov
Prime Minister of Ukraine
on March 11, 2010. At its morning plenary session
the parliament adopted two declarations: to appoint Azarov as the Prime-minister and to dismiss Tymoshenko as the Prime-minister. 242 out of 343 lawmakers registered in the session hall voted for this decision. The coalition is called "Stability and Reforms".
Following that the parliament also confirmed:
Additional decisions
From coalition to majority
The parliamentary coalition was officially formed on March 16, 2010 when a list of 235 members of the coalition was published on in the official newspaper of the Ukrainian parliament, Holos Ukrayiny
. The list included the Party of Regions faction in all its entirety (172 members), all 27 members of the Communist Party faction, all 20 members of the Lytvyn Bloc, six members of the faction of the Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc (BYuT), another six from the Our Ukraine-People's Self-Defense faction, and four independent deputies. Among the non-fractional parliamentary members and parliamentary defectors are politicians Oleksandr Omelchenko
, Ivan Pliushch, Inna Bohoslovska
, Taras Chornovil
, and others.
Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada
Volodymyr Lytvyn
stated on April 2, 2010 that the coalition could expand to 260 members "by the middle of the next month". On April 30, 2010 he expected the coalition to grow to 252 lawmakers after May 11, 2010.
On March 30, 2010 the coalition was expanded to 238 parliamentarians, and on March 31, 2010 and April 1, 2010 to 240. On April 13, 2010 the tenth representative of BYuT joined the coalition as an independent MP, making the coalition 241 parliamentarians strong. On May 11, 2010 another five lawmakers of BYuT joined the coalition. And on May 14, 2010 another BYuT lawmakers joined the coalition. On June 1, 2010 two more BYuT members joined the coalition. The Stability and Reforms coalition now includes 249 lawmakers. On June 18, 2010 another six lawmakers of Our Ukraine-People's Self-Defense joined the coalition. On June 29, 2010 and on July 2, 2010 another two member of the Bloc of Yulia Tymoshenko faction joined the coalition, making the coalition 260 deputies strong. On July 9, 2010 the coalition included 265 MPs out of the 450 in parliament.
After the constitutional amendments of 2004 where reverted in October 2010 the parliamentary majority (instead of coalition) was announced by the chairman of the Verkhovna Rada
, Volodymyr Lytvyn
consisting of 227 MPs.
In February 2011 the new faction Reforms for the Future
became part of the coalition.
According to ex-premier Yulia Tymoshenko
(in April 2010) lawmakers had been offered a bribe of $5 million each in order to join the coalition. In June 2010 Yuriy Lutsenko
and Tymoshenko claimed that opposition deputies have been offered up to 1.5 million dollars and 25,000 dollars monthly payment if they join the coalition.
stated on the day the cabinet was elected "this government is completely made up of Ukrainian oligarchs
"; she predicted the cabinet actions would lead to "megacorruption, the closure of strategic state programs, pressure on small and middle business and a return to stagnation and the absence of any reforms".
According to a February 2010 poll by the Kiev Gorshenin Institute of Management Issues most Ukrainians
wanted not a politician for Prime Minister but "a professional premier, who will implement unpopular reforms".
Ukraine's state budget for 2010 was adopted by parliament after a ten minute long hearing of the bill which consisted of a report by the finance minister and the head of the parliament's budget committee. The Verkhovna Rada
2010 budget was not presented at a parliament meeting, but approved on May 14, 2010.
Yuriy Lutsenko
accused Yanukovych of "trying to buy members of parliament for a new coalition" (President
Viktor Yanukovych
accused Lutsenko of badly handling the affairs at the Ministry of Internal Affairs
before appointing Anatolii Mohyliov to Lutsenko's old position.) and Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc lawmaker Serhiy Mishchenko stated "that the Verkhovna Rada had shown to the average citizen a bad example of how to violate the country’s laws and Constitution". Yushchenko did sent a letter to Yanukovych with a request to veto the law on March 10. Yanukovych signed the law nevertheless. 56 lawmakers filed a challenge to the law who made these amendments possible on March 11, 2010 at the Constitutional Court of Ukraine
. On March 16, 2010 Minister of Justice Oleksandr Lavrynovych
stated that even if the Constitutional Court rules the amendments unconstitutional the format of the Ukrainian parliamentary coalition will remain unchanged because "the Constitutional Court's ruling becomes valid on the day of its announcement, not yesterday or the day before yesterday" and the Constitutional Court's ruling will apply only to measures intended to establish a new coalition in Ukraine in the future. On March 26, 2010 President Yanukovych told a delegation from the European Parliament
"If the decision of the Constitutional Court will be that the coalition was formed illegally, then I will take a decision on a snap election
, I will never go down the path of breaching the constitution that is in force". The Constitutional Court reviewing the case late March 2010. On urgent matters the court rules within weeks but on matters deemed less urgent it can take months or even longer. On March 29, 2010 former premier and Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc leader Yulia Tymoshenko
accused "Representatives of Yanukovych" of trying to bribe and blackmail Constitutional Court judges in order to get a ruling that legitimates the coalition and the government. This was denied by Yanukovych's Party of Regions
.
On April 8, 2010 the Constitutional Court ruled that the coalition supporting the Azarov Government in parliament had been formed legally. The shadow government called the Constitutional Court ruling "cynical, hypocritical, and illegal".
. Some of the members do not even qualify to the assigned positions either as in case with Valeriy Khoroshkovskiy who was elected to the Supreme Council of Justice. Some of the members of the government received their government assignments without a basic knowledge of the state language
as in case with the Minister of Internal Affairs Mohyliov. The President Yanukovych gave him two months (until August 2010) to learn the language.
, European Party of Ukraine
, People's Self-Defense, Reforms and Order Party
, Motherland Defenders Party
, Christian-Democratic Union
, and Ukrainian Social-Democratic Party. Tymoshenko immediately nominated a prime minister for the future opposition government (so called shadow government
), while the leader of the European Party Mykola Katerynchuk suggests not to rush and consolidate all possible political forces in a single formed opposition government. On March 31, 2010 all members of this government where named. It is headed by parliamentarian Serhiy Sobolev of Bloc of Yulia Tymoshenko. Its vice premier, Volodymyr Stretovych, was dismissed on 7 February 2011 because "he had finally taken the side of the government".
Arseniy Yatsenyuk
formed another oppositional government in March 2010.
On 8 August 2011 All-Ukrainian Union "Fatherland", Rukh
, European Party of Ukraine
, People's Self-Defense, Reforms and Order Party
, Motherland Defenders Party
, Civil Position
and Front for Change formed the Dictatorship Resistance Committee
"to better coordinate our efforts".
approved the structure of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine
. Note, Tihipko even though is a leader of the Strong Ukraine
party, he was elected to Cabinet as unaffiliated. Strong Ukraine in Verkhovna Rada is not an independent party. The same goes with Vasyl Tsushko
who was a former member of the Socialist Party of Ukraine
at the time of his appointment (he became the leader of that party in July 2010); Tsushko was appointed on quote of the Communist Party
.
The Cabinet originally consisted of 29 ministers, four more than the previous government
, but has since been trimmed down. At the time of installation the Cabinet contained the highest number of ministers in Europe, and ranked second in Europe in terms of the number of its vice premiers. 8 out of the original 29 Cabinet members where born in Donetsk
and the Donetsk Oblast
..
The Cabinet is (also at the time of its installation) Europe's only government that has no female members in its composition. It is the first Ukrainian government without a female minister.
As of May 21, 2010 the Cabinet is planning to create a "Ministry of Science, Technologies and Innovation of Ukraine".
On July 2, 2010 Minister of Environmental Protection Viktor Boiko (Bloc Lytvyn) was replaced by Mykola Zlochevskiy and Vice Prime Minister Volodymyr Seminozhenko was fired by the Verkhovna Rada
(Ukrainian parliament) the same day. A draft resolution proposing the dismissal of Semynozhenko was submitted by lawmaker Olha Bodnar of Bloc Yulia Tymoshenko. On July 10, 2010 Minister of Extraordinary Situations Nestor Shufrych was dismissed by Verkhovna Rada
. For his dismissal voted 256 deputies. However Viktor Yanukovych
found a new assignment for Shufrych and appointed him as the assistant to the secretary of the Council for National Security
. Shufrych's duties where temporary assigned to Volodymyr Antonets till Mikhail Bolotskikh was appointed acting minister on July 23, 2010. Soon after the motion to overturn the 2004 Constitutional amendments was filed on July 14 by the representatives of the Azarov Government, Vasyl Tsushko
, previously as an unaffiliated member of the government, was elected the leader of the Socialist Party of Ukraine
(extra parliamentarian party, non-coalition) on July 24, 2010.
On October 13, 2010 President Yanukovych sacked two deputy prime ministers (Viktor Slauta and Volodymyr Sivkovich). The sackings were the first case when Yanukovych used the powers granted to him by this month's constitutional court ruling when 2004 constitutional amendments where overturn.
On November 12, 2010 President Yanukovych appointed Viktor Baloha (United Centre
) Minister of Emergencies and Minister of the Protection of the Population from the Chernobyl disaster
. According to Baloha this did not mean his party would join the coalition. Early 2010 United Centre had rejected any possibility of joining a parliamentary coalition with the Communist Party of Ukraine
.
Another mayor reshuffle took place in December 2010 which reduced the number of ministers This was part of an administrative reform set in motion by Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych
with the aim to reduced the number of civil servants in Ukraine. (see below Yanukovych Administration Reform)
A number of deputy ministers where dismissed early April 2011.
Minister of Health Zynoviy Mytnyk was dismissed on May 17, 2011 because he had "failed to properly organize the work of the ministry"; Oleksandr Anishchenko was appointed for the post on May 24, 2010.
Vice Prime Minister (Minister of Social Policy) Tihipko became a member of Party of Regions when that party merged with his former party Strong Ukraine
; that thus had no longer a minister in this Cabinet.
Anatolii Mohyliov
was replaced as Minister of Internal Affairs by Vitaliy Zakharchenko
in November 2011.
Other priorities of the government are the preparations for expected flooding, preparations for spring agricultural work and the improvement of medical services
.
In order to increase state revenues with at least Hryvnya 10 billion the government is planning to step up privatization in 2010.
Led by the Party of Regions faction in March 2010 a draft law on the judiciary and a new criminal procedural code was shelved and the introduction of anti-corruption legislation was pushed back from April 2010 to January 2011 by the Verkhovna Rada.
On November 30, 2010 Yanukovych vetoed a new tax code made by the Azarov Government and earlier approved by the Verkhovna Rada but protested against in rallies across Ukraine (one of the largest protests since the 2004 Orange Revolution
). Yanukovych signed an new Tax Code on December 3, 2010.
reloaded a new government. According to the decree, the number of ministries was reduced from 20 to 16 and the number of cabinet employees (1,174 people at the time) is to be more than halved.
List of ministries with their respective agencies (if present)
Other state services and agencies
Party of Regions
The Party of Regions is an Ukrainian political party created on October 26, 1997 just prior to the 1998 Ukrainian parliamentary elections under the name of Party of Regional Revival of Ukraine. It was reformed later in 2001 when the party united with several others...
, Lytvyn Bloc and the Communist Party of Ukraine
Communist Party of Ukraine
The Communist Party of Ukraine is a political party in Ukraine, currently led by Petro Symonenko.The party fights the Ukrainian national self-determination by identifying any Ukrainian national parties as the National-Fascist ones The Communist Party of Ukraine is a political party in Ukraine,...
in the Verkhovna Rada
Verkhovna Rada
The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine is Ukraine's parliament. The Verkhovna Rada is a unicameral parliament composed of 450 deputies, which is presided over by a chairman...
, Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
's parliament. The current government is led by Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Ukraine
The Prime Minister of Ukraine is Ukraine's head of government presiding over the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, which is the highest body of the executive branch of the Ukrainian government....
Mykola Azarov
Mykola Azarov
Mykola Yanovych Azarov ; born Nikolai Yanovich Pakhlo on 17 December 1947, is a Ukrainian politician who has been the Prime Minister of Ukraine since 11 March 2010. He was the First Vice Prime Minister and Finance Minister from 2002 to 2005 and again from 2006 to 2007, and he also served as acting...
, who succeeded the ousted second Tymoshenko Government
Second Tymoshenko Government
The second Tymoshenko Government was appointed on December 18, 2007 as a coalition between Bloc of Yulia Tymoshenko and Our Ukraine-People's Self-Defense Bloc , OU-PSD is the party of then-President of Ukraine Viktor Yushchenko, following the 2007 Ukrainian parliamentary election...
led by ex-Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko
Yulia Tymoshenko
Yulia Volodymyrivna Tymoshenko , née Grigyan , born 27 November 1960, is a Ukrainian politician. She was the Prime Minister of Ukraine from 24 January to 8 September 2005, and again from 18 December 2007 to 4 March 2010. She placed third in Forbes Magazine's List of The World's 100 Most Powerful...
.
The Azarov Government is working in cooperation with Ukrainian President
President of Ukraine
Prior to the formation of the modern Ukrainian presidency, the previous Ukrainian head of state office was officially established in exile by Andriy Livytskyi. At first the de facto leader of nation was the president of the Central Rada at early years of the Ukrainian People's Republic, while the...
and head of state Viktor Yanukovych
Viktor Yanukovych
Viktor Fedorovych Yanukovych is a Ukrainian politician who has been the President of Ukraine since February 2010.Yanukovych served as the Governor of Donetsk Oblast from 1997 to 2002...
.
A November 2010 Razumkov Centre
Razumkov Centre
Razumkov Centre , or fully the Ukrainian Centre for Economic and Political Studies named after Olexander Razumkov , is a Ukrainian non-governmental public policy think tank....
nationwide survey showed that only 13.2 percent of respondents fully support the Azarov Government while 45 percent stated they did not.
Creation and parliamentary issues
On March 9, 2010 the Verkhovna RadaVerkhovna Rada
The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine is Ukraine's parliament. The Verkhovna Rada is a unicameral parliament composed of 450 deputies, which is presided over by a chairman...
amended its regulations to define a parliamentary coalition as an alliance of parliamentary factions and individual parliamentary deputies constituting the majority of the parliament’s constitutional composition while the Constitutional Court of Ukraine
Constitutional Court of Ukraine
The Constitutional Court of Ukraine is the sole body of constitutional jurisdiction in Ukraine. The Constitutional Court of Ukraine interprets the Constitution of Ukraine and decides whether laws and other legal acts are constitutional....
in September 2008 had defined a parliamentary coalition as an alliance of parliamentary factions that consists of at least 226 parliamentary deputies. The reason for that was a hardship of creating a coalition out of the three parliamentary factions Bloc Lytvyn, Communist Party of Ukraine
Communist Party of Ukraine
The Communist Party of Ukraine is a political party in Ukraine, currently led by Petro Symonenko.The party fights the Ukrainian national self-determination by identifying any Ukrainian national parties as the National-Fascist ones The Communist Party of Ukraine is a political party in Ukraine,...
, and Party of regions
Party of Regions
The Party of Regions is an Ukrainian political party created on October 26, 1997 just prior to the 1998 Ukrainian parliamentary elections under the name of Party of Regional Revival of Ukraine. It was reformed later in 2001 when the party united with several others...
, combining only 219 and few members short of the necessary number. For that purpose it was decided to form what was defined as a "coalition of tushki" (Cyrillic: тушки, meaning "defectors") consisting out of several members other factions (NUNS and BYuT). One of the leader of the Party of Regions
Party of Regions
The Party of Regions is an Ukrainian political party created on October 26, 1997 just prior to the 1998 Ukrainian parliamentary elections under the name of Party of Regional Revival of Ukraine. It was reformed later in 2001 when the party united with several others...
and the head of the parliamentary procedural committee, Oleksandr Yefremov stated that party will request the Constitutional Court to elucidate the clauses of this law unless the Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc faction does it. According to President
President of Ukraine
Prior to the formation of the modern Ukrainian presidency, the previous Ukrainian head of state office was officially established in exile by Andriy Livytskyi. At first the de facto leader of nation was the president of the Central Rada at early years of the Ukrainian People's Republic, while the...
Viktor Yanukovych
Viktor Yanukovych
Viktor Fedorovych Yanukovych is a Ukrainian politician who has been the President of Ukraine since February 2010.Yanukovych served as the Governor of Donetsk Oblast from 1997 to 2002...
, Ukraine could not afford early parliamentary elections
Next Ukrainian parliamentary election
On February 1, 2011 the Verkhovna Rada set the election date for the next Ukrainian parliamentary election for October 28, 2012. The elections will use a mixed voting system with a 5% election threshold and the participation of blocs of political parties will not be allowed anymore...
because "the prolonged political instability would provoke a worsening of the economic crisis in the country
2008–2009 Ukrainian financial crisis
Ukraine was hit heavily by the late-2000s recession, the World Bank expects Ukraine's economy to shrink 15% in 2009 with inflation being 16.4%....
".
Ukrainian lawmakers formed a new coalition on March 11, 2010 which included Bloc Lytvyn, Communist Party of Ukraine
Communist Party of Ukraine
The Communist Party of Ukraine is a political party in Ukraine, currently led by Petro Symonenko.The party fights the Ukrainian national self-determination by identifying any Ukrainian national parties as the National-Fascist ones The Communist Party of Ukraine is a political party in Ukraine,...
and Party of regions
Party of Regions
The Party of Regions is an Ukrainian political party created on October 26, 1997 just prior to the 1998 Ukrainian parliamentary elections under the name of Party of Regional Revival of Ukraine. It was reformed later in 2001 when the party united with several others...
. 235 deputies from the 450-member parliament had signed the coalition agreement. The same day the Our Ukraine- People's Self Defense faction officially announces that would be in opposition to the new coalition. On March 3, 2010 Bloc Yulia Tymoshenko had already moved into opposition. According to Bloc Yulia Tymoshenko the forming of the coalition was a coup d'etat
Coup d'état
A coup d'état state, literally: strike/blow of state)—also known as a coup, putsch, and overthrow—is the sudden, extrajudicial deposition of a government, usually by a small group of the existing state establishment—typically the military—to replace the deposed government with another body; either...
.
On March 11, 2010 Bloc Yulia Tymoshenko appealed to the Central Election Commission of Ukraine
Central Election Commission of Ukraine
The Central Election Commission of Ukraine ; sometimes referred to as the Central Electoral Commission of Ukraine) is a permanent and independent collegiate body of the Ukrainian government.- Mission and Authority :...
to terminate the parliamentary mandates of its six parliamentarians who had joined the new parliamentary coalition.
The Verkhovna Rada appointed Mykola Azarov
Mykola Azarov
Mykola Yanovych Azarov ; born Nikolai Yanovich Pakhlo on 17 December 1947, is a Ukrainian politician who has been the Prime Minister of Ukraine since 11 March 2010. He was the First Vice Prime Minister and Finance Minister from 2002 to 2005 and again from 2006 to 2007, and he also served as acting...
Prime Minister of Ukraine
Prime Minister of Ukraine
The Prime Minister of Ukraine is Ukraine's head of government presiding over the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, which is the highest body of the executive branch of the Ukrainian government....
on March 11, 2010. At its morning plenary session
Plenary session
Plenary session is a term often used in conferences to define the part of the conference when all members of all parties are to attend.These sessions may contain a broad range of content from keynotes to panel discussions and are not necessarily related to a specific style of delivery.The term has...
the parliament adopted two declarations: to appoint Azarov as the Prime-minister and to dismiss Tymoshenko as the Prime-minister. 242 out of 343 lawmakers registered in the session hall voted for this decision. The coalition is called "Stability and Reforms".
| Faction | Number of deputies | For | Against | Abstained | Didn't vote | Absent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party of Regions Faction Party of Regions The Party of Regions is an Ukrainian political party created on October 26, 1997 just prior to the 1998 Ukrainian parliamentary elections under the name of Party of Regional Revival of Ukraine. It was reformed later in 2001 when the party united with several others... |
172 | 172 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc | 155 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 56 | 88 |
| Our Ukraine–People's Self-Defense Bloc | 72 | 11 | 1 | 1 | 40 | 19 |
| Communist Party of Ukraine Faction Communist Party of Ukraine The Communist Party of Ukraine is a political party in Ukraine, currently led by Petro Symonenko.The party fights the Ukrainian national self-determination by identifying any Ukrainian national parties as the National-Fascist ones The Communist Party of Ukraine is a political party in Ukraine,... |
27 | 27 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Lytvyn Bloc | 20 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| No faction affiliated | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| All factions | 450 | 242 | 4 | 1 | 96 | 107 |
Following that the parliament also confirmed:
- the position of Valeriy KhoroshkovskyValeriy KhoroshkovskyValeriy Ivanovych Khoroshkovsky is a Ukrainian businessman, head of the Security Service of Ukraine and owner of U.A. Inter Media Group which owns majority shares in various Ukrainian TV channels such as Inter TV...
as the head of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), - the new Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine including one Primer, six Vice-Premiers, and 21 other ministers,
- early discontinuation of deputy duties of those who were appointed to the new cabinet.
Additional decisions
| Proposals | For | Against | Abstained | Didn't vote | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Valeriy Khoroshkovsky Valeriy Khoroshkovsky Valeriy Ivanovych Khoroshkovsky is a Ukrainian businessman, head of the Security Service of Ukraine and owner of U.A. Inter Media Group which owns majority shares in various Ukrainian TV channels such as Inter TV... as the head of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) |
238 | 1 | 1 | 114 | 354 |
| The composition of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine | 240 | 4 | 1 | 108 | 353 |
| The appointment of M.Yezhel as the Minister of Defense and K.Hryshchenko as the Minister of Foreign Affairs |
239 | 0 | 0 | 132 | 371 |
From coalition to majority
The parliamentary coalition was officially formed on March 16, 2010 when a list of 235 members of the coalition was published on in the official newspaper of the Ukrainian parliament, Holos Ukrayiny
Holos Ukrayiny
Holos Ukrayiny , is a Ukrainian daily newspaper published in Kiev, with the curculation of about 170,000.The paper is an official voice of Verkhovna Rada , partially funded by the state. It is mandated to provide all parliamentary factions with the regular equal proportions of printing space...
. The list included the Party of Regions faction in all its entirety (172 members), all 27 members of the Communist Party faction, all 20 members of the Lytvyn Bloc, six members of the faction of the Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc (BYuT), another six from the Our Ukraine-People's Self-Defense faction, and four independent deputies. Among the non-fractional parliamentary members and parliamentary defectors are politicians Oleksandr Omelchenko
Oleksandr Omelchenko
Oleksandr Oleksandrovych Omelchenko became the mayor of Kiev, the capital of Ukraine, in 1999. He lost his re-election bid in March 2006. Omelchenko is now member of the Verkhovna Rada elected on behalf of Our Ukraine–People's Self-Defense Bloc but expelled from that fraction in September 2011....
, Ivan Pliushch, Inna Bohoslovska
Inna Bohoslovska
Inna Hermanivna Bohoslovska is a Ukrainian politician. She is known for her political tension with Yulia Tymoshenko as one of the main opponents. Bohoslovska was a candidate for President of Ukraine in the 2010 Ukrainian presidential elections.-Biography:...
, Taras Chornovil
Taras Chornovil
Taras Vyacheslavovych Chornovil is a Ukrainian politician and is an independent member of Reforms for the Future block in the Verkhovna Rada.-Early life:...
, and others.
Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada
Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada
The Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine is the speaker of the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine's unicameral parliament. The speaker presides over the parliament and its procedures. They are elected by secret ballot from the parliament's deputy ranks...
Volodymyr Lytvyn
Volodymyr Lytvyn
Volodymyr Mykhailovych Lytvyn is a Ukrainian politician and the current Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada, the Ukrainian parliament. Having previously served in that position from 2002 until 2006, he was re-elected in December 2008 after his party agreed to join the former coalition of Yulia...
stated on April 2, 2010 that the coalition could expand to 260 members "by the middle of the next month". On April 30, 2010 he expected the coalition to grow to 252 lawmakers after May 11, 2010.
On March 30, 2010 the coalition was expanded to 238 parliamentarians, and on March 31, 2010 and April 1, 2010 to 240. On April 13, 2010 the tenth representative of BYuT joined the coalition as an independent MP, making the coalition 241 parliamentarians strong. On May 11, 2010 another five lawmakers of BYuT joined the coalition. And on May 14, 2010 another BYuT lawmakers joined the coalition. On June 1, 2010 two more BYuT members joined the coalition. The Stability and Reforms coalition now includes 249 lawmakers. On June 18, 2010 another six lawmakers of Our Ukraine-People's Self-Defense joined the coalition. On June 29, 2010 and on July 2, 2010 another two member of the Bloc of Yulia Tymoshenko faction joined the coalition, making the coalition 260 deputies strong. On July 9, 2010 the coalition included 265 MPs out of the 450 in parliament.
After the constitutional amendments of 2004 where reverted in October 2010 the parliamentary majority (instead of coalition) was announced by the chairman of the Verkhovna Rada
Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada
The Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine is the speaker of the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine's unicameral parliament. The speaker presides over the parliament and its procedures. They are elected by secret ballot from the parliament's deputy ranks...
, Volodymyr Lytvyn
Volodymyr Lytvyn
Volodymyr Mykhailovych Lytvyn is a Ukrainian politician and the current Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada, the Ukrainian parliament. Having previously served in that position from 2002 until 2006, he was re-elected in December 2008 after his party agreed to join the former coalition of Yulia...
consisting of 227 MPs.
In February 2011 the new faction Reforms for the Future
Reforms for the Future
Reforms for the Future is a Ukrainian deputy group turned faction in its national parliament Verkhovna Rada created on February 16, 2011. Deputy Ihor Rybakov , is the groups faction leader. The faction supports the Azarov Government...
became part of the coalition.
According to ex-premier Yulia Tymoshenko
Yulia Tymoshenko
Yulia Volodymyrivna Tymoshenko , née Grigyan , born 27 November 1960, is a Ukrainian politician. She was the Prime Minister of Ukraine from 24 January to 8 September 2005, and again from 18 December 2007 to 4 March 2010. She placed third in Forbes Magazine's List of The World's 100 Most Powerful...
(in April 2010) lawmakers had been offered a bribe of $5 million each in order to join the coalition. In June 2010 Yuriy Lutsenko
Yuriy Lutsenko
Yuriy Vitaliyovych Lutsenko is a Ukrainian politician and statesman and former Minister of Internal Affairs, he occupied this post in the two Cabinets of Yulia Tymoshenko and in Cabinets of Yuriy Yekhanurov, and Viktor Yanukovych...
and Tymoshenko claimed that opposition deputies have been offered up to 1.5 million dollars and 25,000 dollars monthly payment if they join the coalition.
Controversy and criticism
Azarov's immediate predecessor Yulia TymoshenkoYulia Tymoshenko
Yulia Volodymyrivna Tymoshenko , née Grigyan , born 27 November 1960, is a Ukrainian politician. She was the Prime Minister of Ukraine from 24 January to 8 September 2005, and again from 18 December 2007 to 4 March 2010. She placed third in Forbes Magazine's List of The World's 100 Most Powerful...
stated on the day the cabinet was elected "this government is completely made up of Ukrainian oligarchs
Oligarchy
Oligarchy is a form of power structure in which power effectively rests with an elite class distinguished by royalty, wealth, family ties, commercial, and/or military legitimacy...
"; she predicted the cabinet actions would lead to "megacorruption, the closure of strategic state programs, pressure on small and middle business and a return to stagnation and the absence of any reforms".
According to a February 2010 poll by the Kiev Gorshenin Institute of Management Issues most Ukrainians
Ukrainians
Ukrainians are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Ukraine, which is the sixth-largest nation in Europe. The Constitution of Ukraine applies the term 'Ukrainians' to all its citizens...
wanted not a politician for Prime Minister but "a professional premier, who will implement unpopular reforms".
Ukraine's state budget for 2010 was adopted by parliament after a ten minute long hearing of the bill which consisted of a report by the finance minister and the head of the parliament's budget committee. The Verkhovna Rada
Verkhovna Rada
The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine is Ukraine's parliament. The Verkhovna Rada is a unicameral parliament composed of 450 deputies, which is presided over by a chairman...
2010 budget was not presented at a parliament meeting, but approved on May 14, 2010.
Constitutional Court ruling
According to former president Victor Yushchenko the March 9, 2010 parliamentary amendment that made it possible for individual members of a parliamentary faction to join a coalition violated the Ukrainian Constitution, former Minister of Internal AffairsMinistry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine
The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine is the main body in the system of central bodies of exeecutive power that provides formation and realization of the state policy in the sphere of protection the rights and liberties of citizens, unlawful acts against the interest of society and state,...
Yuriy Lutsenko
Yuriy Lutsenko
Yuriy Vitaliyovych Lutsenko is a Ukrainian politician and statesman and former Minister of Internal Affairs, he occupied this post in the two Cabinets of Yulia Tymoshenko and in Cabinets of Yuriy Yekhanurov, and Viktor Yanukovych...
accused Yanukovych of "trying to buy members of parliament for a new coalition" (President
President of Ukraine
Prior to the formation of the modern Ukrainian presidency, the previous Ukrainian head of state office was officially established in exile by Andriy Livytskyi. At first the de facto leader of nation was the president of the Central Rada at early years of the Ukrainian People's Republic, while the...
Viktor Yanukovych
Viktor Yanukovych
Viktor Fedorovych Yanukovych is a Ukrainian politician who has been the President of Ukraine since February 2010.Yanukovych served as the Governor of Donetsk Oblast from 1997 to 2002...
accused Lutsenko of badly handling the affairs at the Ministry of Internal Affairs
Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine
The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine is the main body in the system of central bodies of exeecutive power that provides formation and realization of the state policy in the sphere of protection the rights and liberties of citizens, unlawful acts against the interest of society and state,...
before appointing Anatolii Mohyliov to Lutsenko's old position.) and Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc lawmaker Serhiy Mishchenko stated "that the Verkhovna Rada had shown to the average citizen a bad example of how to violate the country’s laws and Constitution". Yushchenko did sent a letter to Yanukovych with a request to veto the law on March 10. Yanukovych signed the law nevertheless. 56 lawmakers filed a challenge to the law who made these amendments possible on March 11, 2010 at the Constitutional Court of Ukraine
Constitutional Court of Ukraine
The Constitutional Court of Ukraine is the sole body of constitutional jurisdiction in Ukraine. The Constitutional Court of Ukraine interprets the Constitution of Ukraine and decides whether laws and other legal acts are constitutional....
. On March 16, 2010 Minister of Justice Oleksandr Lavrynovych
Oleksandr Lavrynovych
Oleksandr Volodymyrovych Lavrynovych is a Ukrainian politician and deputy in the Ukrainian parliament, the Verkhovna Rada....
stated that even if the Constitutional Court rules the amendments unconstitutional the format of the Ukrainian parliamentary coalition will remain unchanged because "the Constitutional Court's ruling becomes valid on the day of its announcement, not yesterday or the day before yesterday" and the Constitutional Court's ruling will apply only to measures intended to establish a new coalition in Ukraine in the future. On March 26, 2010 President Yanukovych told a delegation from the European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
"If the decision of the Constitutional Court will be that the coalition was formed illegally, then I will take a decision on a snap election
Next Ukrainian parliamentary election
On February 1, 2011 the Verkhovna Rada set the election date for the next Ukrainian parliamentary election for October 28, 2012. The elections will use a mixed voting system with a 5% election threshold and the participation of blocs of political parties will not be allowed anymore...
, I will never go down the path of breaching the constitution that is in force". The Constitutional Court reviewing the case late March 2010. On urgent matters the court rules within weeks but on matters deemed less urgent it can take months or even longer. On March 29, 2010 former premier and Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc leader Yulia Tymoshenko
Yulia Tymoshenko
Yulia Volodymyrivna Tymoshenko , née Grigyan , born 27 November 1960, is a Ukrainian politician. She was the Prime Minister of Ukraine from 24 January to 8 September 2005, and again from 18 December 2007 to 4 March 2010. She placed third in Forbes Magazine's List of The World's 100 Most Powerful...
accused "Representatives of Yanukovych" of trying to bribe and blackmail Constitutional Court judges in order to get a ruling that legitimates the coalition and the government. This was denied by Yanukovych's Party of Regions
Party of Regions
The Party of Regions is an Ukrainian political party created on October 26, 1997 just prior to the 1998 Ukrainian parliamentary elections under the name of Party of Regional Revival of Ukraine. It was reformed later in 2001 when the party united with several others...
.
On April 8, 2010 the Constitutional Court ruled that the coalition supporting the Azarov Government in parliament had been formed legally. The shadow government called the Constitutional Court ruling "cynical, hypocritical, and illegal".
Corruption
The Azorov's Government stated that it will fight corruption. However several of its members are assigned to two or more government positions, and, of course, are paid for them. That fact reflects direct disregard for the Constitution of UkraineConstitution of Ukraine
The Constitution of Ukraine is the nation's fundamental law. The constitution was adopted and ratified at the 5th session of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine on 28 June 1996. The constitution was passed with 315 ayes out of 450 votes possible .Other laws and other normative legal acts of Ukraine...
. Some of the members do not even qualify to the assigned positions either as in case with Valeriy Khoroshkovskiy who was elected to the Supreme Council of Justice. Some of the members of the government received their government assignments without a basic knowledge of the state language
Ukrainian language
Ukrainian is a language of the East Slavic subgroup of the Slavic languages. It is the official state language of Ukraine. Written Ukrainian uses a variant of the Cyrillic alphabet....
as in case with the Minister of Internal Affairs Mohyliov. The President Yanukovych gave him two months (until August 2010) to learn the language.
Opposition government formation
On March 16, eight parliamentarian parties signed an application for the establishment of an association of opposing political forces to the ruling Azarov government. Among the eight opposition parties are All-Ukrainian Union "Fatherland", RukhPeople's Movement of Ukraine
The People's Movement of Ukraine is a Ukrainian center-right political party...
, European Party of Ukraine
European Party of Ukraine
The European Party of Ukraine is a Ukrainian political party that has a centre-right/liberal character.-History:In the parliamentary elections on 30 September 2007, the party was part of the Our Ukraine–People's Self-Defense Bloc alliance, that won 72 out of 450 seats.The party supported Yulia...
, People's Self-Defense, Reforms and Order Party
Reforms and Order Party
-History:The party was organized in October 1997 as a right-wing party, led by ex-vice Prime Minister Viktor Pynzenyk. And it was registered as the fiftieth political party in the history of Ukrainian modern politics....
, Motherland Defenders Party
Motherland Defenders Party
The Motherland Defenders Party is a political party in Ukraine registered in July 1997.-Election results:The party ran independent in the 1998 Ukrainian parliamentary elections in which it won 0.30% of the votes and no seats...
, Christian-Democratic Union
Christian Democratic Union (Ukraine)
The Christian Democratic Union is a political party in Ukraine. On December 2, 2002, in Athens, Greece the party became a member of Centrist Democrat International. It is negotiated now its associated membership in the European People's Party...
, and Ukrainian Social-Democratic Party. Tymoshenko immediately nominated a prime minister for the future opposition government (so called shadow government
Shadow Cabinet
The Shadow Cabinet is a senior group of opposition spokespeople in the Westminster system of government who together under the leadership of the Leader of the Opposition form an alternative cabinet to the government's, whose members shadow or mark each individual member of the government...
), while the leader of the European Party Mykola Katerynchuk suggests not to rush and consolidate all possible political forces in a single formed opposition government. On March 31, 2010 all members of this government where named. It is headed by parliamentarian Serhiy Sobolev of Bloc of Yulia Tymoshenko. Its vice premier, Volodymyr Stretovych, was dismissed on 7 February 2011 because "he had finally taken the side of the government".
Arseniy Yatsenyuk
Arseniy Yatsenyuk
Arseniy Petrovych Yatsenyuk is a Ukrainian politician, economist and lawyer. Yatsenyuk served in the government of Ukraine as Minister of Economy from 2005 to 2006; subsequently he was Foreign Minister of Ukraine in 2007 and Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada from 2007 to 2008.-Early life:Arseniy...
formed another oppositional government in March 2010.
On 8 August 2011 All-Ukrainian Union "Fatherland", Rukh
People's Movement of Ukraine
The People's Movement of Ukraine is a Ukrainian center-right political party...
, European Party of Ukraine
European Party of Ukraine
The European Party of Ukraine is a Ukrainian political party that has a centre-right/liberal character.-History:In the parliamentary elections on 30 September 2007, the party was part of the Our Ukraine–People's Self-Defense Bloc alliance, that won 72 out of 450 seats.The party supported Yulia...
, People's Self-Defense, Reforms and Order Party
Reforms and Order Party
-History:The party was organized in October 1997 as a right-wing party, led by ex-vice Prime Minister Viktor Pynzenyk. And it was registered as the fiftieth political party in the history of Ukrainian modern politics....
, Motherland Defenders Party
Motherland Defenders Party
The Motherland Defenders Party is a political party in Ukraine registered in July 1997.-Election results:The party ran independent in the 1998 Ukrainian parliamentary elections in which it won 0.30% of the votes and no seats...
, Civil Position
Civil Position
Civil Position is a political party in Ukraine registered in March 2005 . The party did not participate in any parliamentary elections. It is lead by former Minister of Defence of Ukraine Anatoliy Hrytsenko.During the 2010 Ukrainian local elections the parties result where nihilistic...
and Front for Change formed the Dictatorship Resistance Committee
Dictatorship Resistance Committee
The Dictatorship Resistance Committee is an alliance formed by several political parties in Ukraine opposed to President Viktor YanukovichIt was formed in August, 2011 and came to join some other opposition alliances that were already active...
"to better coordinate our efforts".
Composition
On March 11, 2010, Verkhovna Rada of UkraineVerkhovna Rada
The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine is Ukraine's parliament. The Verkhovna Rada is a unicameral parliament composed of 450 deputies, which is presided over by a chairman...
approved the structure of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine
Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine
The Cabinet of Ukraine is the highest body of state executive power in Ukraine also referred to as the Government of Ukraine...
. Note, Tihipko even though is a leader of the Strong Ukraine
Strong Ukraine
Strong Ukraine ; former Labour Party Ukraine , is a political party in Ukraine registered in August 1999. The party claims to have over 80,000 members as of mid-May 2010. It is currently negotiating a merge with the Party of Regions....
party, he was elected to Cabinet as unaffiliated. Strong Ukraine in Verkhovna Rada is not an independent party. The same goes with Vasyl Tsushko
Vasyl Tsushko
Vasyl Petrovych Tsushko is a Ukrainian politician former Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, appointed on quote of the Communist Party, and former Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine....
who was a former member of the Socialist Party of Ukraine
Socialist Party of Ukraine
The Socialist Party of Ukraine is a Socialist political party in Ukraine and part of the Verkhovna Rada from 1994 to 2007.It is one of the oldest parties and was created by the former members of the Communist Party of Ukraine in late 1991 when the Communist Party was banned...
at the time of his appointment (he became the leader of that party in July 2010); Tsushko was appointed on quote of the Communist Party
Communist Party of Ukraine
The Communist Party of Ukraine is a political party in Ukraine, currently led by Petro Symonenko.The party fights the Ukrainian national self-determination by identifying any Ukrainian national parties as the National-Fascist ones The Communist Party of Ukraine is a political party in Ukraine,...
.
The Cabinet originally consisted of 29 ministers, four more than the previous government
Second Tymoshenko Government
The second Tymoshenko Government was appointed on December 18, 2007 as a coalition between Bloc of Yulia Tymoshenko and Our Ukraine-People's Self-Defense Bloc , OU-PSD is the party of then-President of Ukraine Viktor Yushchenko, following the 2007 Ukrainian parliamentary election...
, but has since been trimmed down. At the time of installation the Cabinet contained the highest number of ministers in Europe, and ranked second in Europe in terms of the number of its vice premiers. 8 out of the original 29 Cabinet members where born in Donetsk
Donetsk
Donetsk , is a large city in eastern Ukraine on the Kalmius river. Administratively, it is a center of Donetsk Oblast, while historically, it is the unofficial capital and largest city of the economic and cultural Donets Basin region...
and the Donetsk Oblast
Donetsk Oblast
Donetsk Oblast is an oblast of eastern Ukraine. Its administrative center is Donetsk. Historically, the province is an important part of the Donbas region...
..
The Cabinet is (also at the time of its installation) Europe's only government that has no female members in its composition. It is the first Ukrainian government without a female minister.
As of May 21, 2010 the Cabinet is planning to create a "Ministry of Science, Technologies and Innovation of Ukraine".
Changes since June 2010
On June 2, 2010 Deputy-minister of Environmental Protection Bogdan Presner was sacked for accepting a bribe of $200,000 (he was sentenced to nine years in prison in October 2011). On June 17, 2010 Minister on Communal Living Oleksandr Popov (Party of Regions) was replaced by Yuriy Hivrich.On July 2, 2010 Minister of Environmental Protection Viktor Boiko (Bloc Lytvyn) was replaced by Mykola Zlochevskiy and Vice Prime Minister Volodymyr Seminozhenko was fired by the Verkhovna Rada
Verkhovna Rada
The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine is Ukraine's parliament. The Verkhovna Rada is a unicameral parliament composed of 450 deputies, which is presided over by a chairman...
(Ukrainian parliament) the same day. A draft resolution proposing the dismissal of Semynozhenko was submitted by lawmaker Olha Bodnar of Bloc Yulia Tymoshenko. On July 10, 2010 Minister of Extraordinary Situations Nestor Shufrych was dismissed by Verkhovna Rada
Verkhovna Rada
The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine is Ukraine's parliament. The Verkhovna Rada is a unicameral parliament composed of 450 deputies, which is presided over by a chairman...
. For his dismissal voted 256 deputies. However Viktor Yanukovych
Viktor Yanukovych
Viktor Fedorovych Yanukovych is a Ukrainian politician who has been the President of Ukraine since February 2010.Yanukovych served as the Governor of Donetsk Oblast from 1997 to 2002...
found a new assignment for Shufrych and appointed him as the assistant to the secretary of the Council for National Security
National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine
National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine , locally referred by its abbreviation RNBO, is an organizational state body in Ukraine tasked with developing national security policy on domestic and international matters in advising the President of Ukraine .The Council was originally created in...
. Shufrych's duties where temporary assigned to Volodymyr Antonets till Mikhail Bolotskikh was appointed acting minister on July 23, 2010. Soon after the motion to overturn the 2004 Constitutional amendments was filed on July 14 by the representatives of the Azarov Government, Vasyl Tsushko
Vasyl Tsushko
Vasyl Petrovych Tsushko is a Ukrainian politician former Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, appointed on quote of the Communist Party, and former Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine....
, previously as an unaffiliated member of the government, was elected the leader of the Socialist Party of Ukraine
Socialist Party of Ukraine
The Socialist Party of Ukraine is a Socialist political party in Ukraine and part of the Verkhovna Rada from 1994 to 2007.It is one of the oldest parties and was created by the former members of the Communist Party of Ukraine in late 1991 when the Communist Party was banned...
(extra parliamentarian party, non-coalition) on July 24, 2010.
On October 13, 2010 President Yanukovych sacked two deputy prime ministers (Viktor Slauta and Volodymyr Sivkovich). The sackings were the first case when Yanukovych used the powers granted to him by this month's constitutional court ruling when 2004 constitutional amendments where overturn.
On November 12, 2010 President Yanukovych appointed Viktor Baloha (United Centre
United Centre
United Centre is a Ukrainian political party. It is an offspring of Our Ukraine. It will participate in the next Ukrainian parliamentary election independently. Legally United Centre is the successor of the Party of Private Property , registered with the Ministry of Justice on September 24, 1999....
) Minister of Emergencies and Minister of the Protection of the Population from the Chernobyl disaster
Chernobyl disaster
The Chernobyl disaster was a nuclear accident that occurred on 26 April 1986 at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine , which was under the direct jurisdiction of the central authorities in Moscow...
. According to Baloha this did not mean his party would join the coalition. Early 2010 United Centre had rejected any possibility of joining a parliamentary coalition with the Communist Party of Ukraine
Communist Party of Ukraine
The Communist Party of Ukraine is a political party in Ukraine, currently led by Petro Symonenko.The party fights the Ukrainian national self-determination by identifying any Ukrainian national parties as the National-Fascist ones The Communist Party of Ukraine is a political party in Ukraine,...
.
Another mayor reshuffle took place in December 2010 which reduced the number of ministers This was part of an administrative reform set in motion by Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych
Viktor Yanukovych
Viktor Fedorovych Yanukovych is a Ukrainian politician who has been the President of Ukraine since February 2010.Yanukovych served as the Governor of Donetsk Oblast from 1997 to 2002...
with the aim to reduced the number of civil servants in Ukraine. (see below Yanukovych Administration Reform)
A number of deputy ministers where dismissed early April 2011.
Minister of Health Zynoviy Mytnyk was dismissed on May 17, 2011 because he had "failed to properly organize the work of the ministry"; Oleksandr Anishchenko was appointed for the post on May 24, 2010.
Vice Prime Minister (Minister of Social Policy) Tihipko became a member of Party of Regions when that party merged with his former party Strong Ukraine
Strong Ukraine
Strong Ukraine ; former Labour Party Ukraine , is a political party in Ukraine registered in August 1999. The party claims to have over 80,000 members as of mid-May 2010. It is currently negotiating a merge with the Party of Regions....
; that thus had no longer a minister in this Cabinet.
Anatolii Mohyliov
Anatolii Mohyliov
Anatolii Volodymyrovych Mohyliov is the Prime Minister of Crimea since November 8, 2011 and former Ukrainian Minister of Internal Affairs.-Biography:...
was replaced as Minister of Internal Affairs by Vitaliy Zakharchenko
Vitaliy Zakharchenko
Vitaliy Yuriyovych Zakharchenko is since 7 November 2011 the Ukrainian Minister of Internal Affairs-Biography:Police Major General Vitaliy Zakharchenko graduated on the Riga branch of the Minsk Higher School of Interior of the USSR in 1991. He had began his career in the police of the Donetsk...
in November 2011.
Policy
The aims of the cabinet are:- Reducing the gap between the rich and the poor in Ukraine; which is characterized by these policies:
- Raise the minimum wage in 2010 to 888 Hryvnya.
- Improve the living standards of UkrainiansUkrainiansUkrainians are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Ukraine, which is the sixth-largest nation in Europe. The Constitution of Ukraine applies the term 'Ukrainians' to all its citizens...
; which is characterized by these policies:- Creating a state "anti-crisis food basket" and a "state anti-crisis medical basket";
- Stabilization of the of price situation on the consumer market and the energy market.
- Introduce "the European standards of social protection" in Ukraine; which is characterized by these policies:
- Reform of the system of social standards and privileges;
- Improvement of the social protection of children;
- "Fight" against the demographic crisis.
- Reviewing Ukraine's cooperation with international financial organizations;
- Judicial reform;
- Reduction of corruptionCorruption in UkraineCorruption is a widespread and growing problem in Ukrainian society. In 2011's Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index Ukraine slipped to the 152th place of 183 countries and territories assessed. Ukraine has slipped from the 134th place in 2010 and the 118th place in 2007...
; which is characterized by these policies:- The introduction of "a single window" in the registration system for entrepreneurial activity and regulation;
- Transparent state purchases;
- Allocation of land plots;
- Economical growthEconomy of UkraineThe economy of Ukraine is an emerging free market, with a gross domestic product that fell sharply for the first 10 years of its independence from the Soviet Union and then experienced rapid growth from 2000 until 2008...
, based on innovative technologies; - Improving the financial situation in state companies;
- Reform the housing utility sector; which is characterized by these policies:
- Provision of citizens with affordable housing;
- The formation of a state order for the construction of social housing for young people, public sector employees, poor families, and disabled persons.
- Strengthen the middle classMiddle classThe middle class is any class of people in the middle of a societal hierarchy. In Weberian socio-economic terms, the middle class is the broad group of people in contemporary society who fall socio-economically between the working class and upper class....
; - Ensuring the rights and freedoms of citizens in Ukraine and their protection outside the country.
Other priorities of the government are the preparations for expected flooding, preparations for spring agricultural work and the improvement of medical services
Health in Ukraine
-Demographic decline:Ukraine is considered to be in a demographic crisis due to its high death rate and a low birth rate. The current Ukrainian birth rate is 11 births/1,000 population, and the death rate is 16.3 deaths/1,000 population...
.
In order to increase state revenues with at least Hryvnya 10 billion the government is planning to step up privatization in 2010.
Led by the Party of Regions faction in March 2010 a draft law on the judiciary and a new criminal procedural code was shelved and the introduction of anti-corruption legislation was pushed back from April 2010 to January 2011 by the Verkhovna Rada.
On November 30, 2010 Yanukovych vetoed a new tax code made by the Azarov Government and earlier approved by the Verkhovna Rada but protested against in rallies across Ukraine (one of the largest protests since the 2004 Orange Revolution
Orange Revolution
The Orange Revolution was a series of protests and political events that took place in Ukraine from late November 2004 to January 2005, in the immediate aftermath of the run-off vote of the 2004 Ukrainian presidential election which was claimed to be marred by massive corruption, voter...
). Yanukovych signed an new Tax Code on December 3, 2010.
Yanukovych Administration Reform
On December 9, 2010 the President of UkrainePresident of Ukraine
Prior to the formation of the modern Ukrainian presidency, the previous Ukrainian head of state office was officially established in exile by Andriy Livytskyi. At first the de facto leader of nation was the president of the Central Rada at early years of the Ukrainian People's Republic, while the...
reloaded a new government. According to the decree, the number of ministries was reduced from 20 to 16 and the number of cabinet employees (1,174 people at the time) is to be more than halved.
List of ministries with their respective agencies (if present)
- Ministry of Economy is reorganized into Ministry of Economic Development and Trade (coordinated by the First Deputy Premier)
- State Service of Export Control
- State Committee of Statistics reorganized into State Service of Statistics
- State Service of Technical Regulation
- National Agency in ensuring of energy resources effective use reorganized into State Agency of Energy Effectiveness and Savings
- State Agency in directing national projection and State Agency of investments and development merged into State Agency of investments and directing national projects
- State Committee of state material reserves reorganized into State Agency of Reserves
- Ministry of Industrial Policy reorganized into State Agency in directing state corporation rights and property
- Ministry of Transportation and Communications reorganized into Ministry of Infrastructure with several state services (coordinated by a Deputy Premier)
- State Aviation Service
- State Automobile-Transportation Service
- State Service of Communication
- State Service of Sea and River Transportation
- State Service of Automobile Roads
- National Agency in preparation and conduction the final portion of Euro 2012 championship of football in Ukraine and realization of infrastructural projects
- Ministry of Regional Development and Construction and Ministry of Communal Living merge into Ministry of Regional Development, Construction, and Communal Living (coordinated by a Deputy Premier)
- State Architectural-Building Inspection
- Ministry of Labor and Social Policy reorganized into Ministry of Social Policy and State Inspection in labor affairs (coordinated by a Deputy Premier)
- State Inspection in Labor Affairs
- State Committee in Veteran Affairs reorganized into State Service in affairs of handicapped and veterans
- Pension Fund
- Ministry of Agrarian Policy reorganized into Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food
- State inspection of rural management
- State Committee of Veterinary Medicine reorganized into State Veterinary Services
- State Committee of land resources reorganized into State Agency of land resources
- State Committee of forest management reorganized into State Agency of forest resources
- State Committee of fishing management reorganized into State Agency of fishing management
- Ministry of Internal Affairs
- State Migration Service
- Ministry in protection of nature reorganized into Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources
- State Ecological Inspection
- State Service of Geology and SubsoilSubsoilSubsoil, or substrata, is the layer of soil under the topsoil on the surface of the ground. The subsoil may include substances such as clay and/or sand that has only been partially broken down by air, sunlight, water, wind etc., to produce true soil...
- State Committee of Water Management reorganized into State Agency of Water Resources
- National Agency of Ecological Investments reorganized into State Agency of Ecological Investments
- Ministry of Fuel and Energy and Ministry of Coal [Mining] Industry merge into Ministry of Energy and Coal [Mining] Industry
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs
- Ministry of Culture and Tourism reorganized into Ministry of Culture
- State Agency in Cinema Affairs
- Ministry of Emergencies reorganized into Ministry of Emergencies
- State Service of Mining Supervision and Industrial Safety
- State Agency in directing the Zone of alienationZone of alienationThe Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant Zone, which is sometimes referred to as The Chernobyl Zone, The 30 Kilometer Zone, The Zone of Alienation, or simply The Zone The Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant Zone, which is sometimes referred to as The Chernobyl Zone, The 30 Kilometer Zone, The Zone of...
- State Inspection of Techno-genetic Safety
- Ministry of Defense
- Ministry of Education and Science and Ministry in affairs of family, youth and sport merge into Ministry of Education and Science, Youth and Sport
- State Service of Intellectual Property
- State Service of Youth and Sport
- State Committee of Science, Innovations, and Informatics reorganized into State Agency of Science, Innovations, and Informatics
- Ministry of Health Protection
- State Sanitary-Epidemiological Service
- State Inspection in control of medicine quality and State Committee in Drug Control Affairs merged into State Service of Medicine and Drug Control
- State Service to counteract HIV-infection/AIDS and other socially dangerous disease
- Ministry of Finance
- State Treasury Service
- State Tax Administration reorganized into State Tax Services
- State Customs Service
- State AssayAssayAn assay is a procedure in molecular biology for testing or measuring the activity of a drug or biochemical in an organism or organic sample. A quantitative assay may also measure the amount of a substance in a sample. Bioassays and immunoassays are among the many varieties of specialized...
Service - State Committee of Financial Monitoring reorganized into State Service of Financial Monitoring
- Main Control-Revisionary Directorate reorganized into State Financial Inspection
- Ministry of Justice
- State Committee of Archives reorganized into State Archive Services
- State Executive Service
- State Department in affairs of executions reorganized into State Penitentiary Services
- State Registration Service
- State Service in Protection of Personal Data
Other state services and agencies
- Liquidated
- State Committee of Industrial Safety, Labor Security, and Mining Supervision, functions transferred to agencies of Ministry of Emergencies
- Supreme Attestation Commission, functions transferred to Ministry of Education and Science, Youth and Sport
- Ukrainian Institute of National Memory
- State Committee in affairs of regulatory policy and entrepreneurship
- State Committee of Nationalities and Religions
- Renamed
- State Committee of Nuclear Regulation into State Inspection of Nuclear Regulation
- National Space Agency into State Space Agency
External links
- Governmental Portal of Ukraine - official site of the Cabinet of Ministers
- Factbox: Challenges facing new Ukrainian government - Kyiv PostKyiv PostThe Kyiv Post is Ukraine's leading English-language newspaper.-History:The Kyiv Post was founded in September 1995 by an American, Jed Sunden. The paper covers politics, business and entertainment. The staff is a team of Western and Ukrainian journalists. Historically, the editorial policy has...
(March 11, 2010) - New Cabinet of Ministers (short biographies of the ministers; including photo’s) - Kyiv PostKyiv PostThe Kyiv Post is Ukraine's leading English-language newspaper.-History:The Kyiv Post was founded in September 1995 by an American, Jed Sunden. The paper covers politics, business and entertainment. The staff is a team of Western and Ukrainian journalists. Historically, the editorial policy has...
(March 11, 2010) - New old government (short biographies of the ministers; including photo’s) - Kyiv Weekly (March 18, 2010)
- Power Grab (editorial) - Kyiv PostKyiv PostThe Kyiv Post is Ukraine's leading English-language newspaper.-History:The Kyiv Post was founded in September 1995 by an American, Jed Sunden. The paper covers politics, business and entertainment. The staff is a team of Western and Ukrainian journalists. Historically, the editorial policy has...
(March 11, 2010) - Experts: Ukraine's new government could be effective, regardless of absence of famous professionals - Kyiv PostKyiv PostThe Kyiv Post is Ukraine's leading English-language newspaper.-History:The Kyiv Post was founded in September 1995 by an American, Jed Sunden. The paper covers politics, business and entertainment. The staff is a team of Western and Ukrainian journalists. Historically, the editorial policy has...
(March 15, 2010)/ Verbatim of the session on March 11, 2010