Ukraine’s Parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, has caused shockwaves throughout the country after ousting three cabinet ministers in a single session. The Verkhovna Rada also approved four new cabinet members as replacements in a vote held on May 16, 2019. The ousted officials included the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Pavlo Klimkin, the Minister of Infrastructure, Volodymyr Omelyan, and the Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources, Ostap Semerak.
Background on Ukraine’s Parliamentary System
Ukraine’s parliamentary system is governed by the Constitution of Ukraine, which was adopted in 1996. It is based on a unicameral parliamentary system, with the Verkhovna Rada being the sole legislative body. Legislative authority rests with the unicameral parliament, which consists of 450 members (“deputies”) elected by popular vote. It is the responsibility of the Verkhovna Rada to pass laws, appoint the Prime Minister and other members of the cabinet, and to ratify international agreements.
Who are the Recently Ousted Ministers?
Pavlo Klimkin, Minister of Foreign Affairs
Pavlo Klimkin had been leading the Ministry of Foreign Affairs since 2014 and was an influential figure in Ukraine’s domestic and foreign policy. He is a diplomat and politician with a degree in international law and has served in numerous posts in Ukraine’s foreign service, including Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ukraine’s Ambassador to the United Kingdom and Ukraine’s Ambassador to the Council of Europe.
Volodymyr Omelyan, Minister of Infrastructure
Volodymyr Omelyan was appointed Minister of Infrastructure in April 2016 and had overseen road and railroad regulations and the roads and transportation sector in Ukraine. He previously served as Minister of Infrastructure from 2014 to 2015 and had an extensive career in the Ukrainian government, having served as a People’s Deputy in the Verkhovna Rada from 2010 to 2014.
Ostap Semerak, Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources
Ostap Semerak was appointed as Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources in 2016 and was responsible for the protection of biodiversity, renewable energy, and the overall natural environment of Ukraine. He is a specialized robotic engineer with a PhD in physics and has been a member of the Verkhovna Rada since 2002.
Who are the Replacements?
The Verkhovna Rada also approved four new cabinet members in the same session where the three ministers were ousted.
Vadym Prystaiko, Minister of Foreign Affairs
Vadym Prystaiko was appointed as the new Minister of Foreign Affairs. He is a diplomat and businessman originally from Kiev, Ukraine, and a graduate of the Ivan Franco National University of Lviv. He has held various senior executive positions in the energy sector and was most recently appointed Ambassador to Canada in 2018.
Oleksiy Honcharuk, Minister of Infrastructure
Oleksiy Honcharuk was appointed Minister of Infrastructure. He is a lawyer from Lviv who graduated from the Ukrainian Academic Law School. Honcharuk previously served as Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration and also as Deputy in the Verkhovna Rada from 2018 to 2019.
Roman Leshchenko, Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources
Roman Leshchenko was appointed as the new Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources. He is an environmentalist and non-governmental organization strategist with a degree in philology from the National University of Kyiv Mohyla Academy. He has thirteen years of experience in the non-governmental sector, having worked with several leading Ukrainian environmental non-governmental organizations.
Oksana Markarova, Minister of Finance
Oksana Markarova was appointed as the new Minister of Finance. She is an economist and finance specialist who holds a degree in business administration from Columbia University. She recently served as Deputy Minister of Finance from 2018 until her appointment.
Why Were Three Ministers Dismissed and Replaced at Once?
The Verkhovna Rada’s decision to oust three cabinet ministers in a single session has caused a lot of controversy and confusion across the country. It has been speculated that the decision was triggered by a lack of political and economic progress under the three cabinet ministers, as well as the ongoing corruption scandals.
Political and Economic Stagnation
Ukraine has been dealing with significant economic and political stagnation over the past few years and it is believed that the decision to oust the three cabinet ministers was made in order to try to bring about progress in both areas. The government has been unable to take advantage of the current favourable economic climate and to adequately address the ever-growing corruption issue.
Corruption
Ukraine has also been grappling with rampant corruption which has been undermining state institutions and economic development. Klimkin had come under fire for his handling of the Navalnyenko corruption scandal, in which the former Prime Minister was found guilty of misuse of public funds. Omelyan has also been criticized for his role in spending government funds on the road infrastructure without proper planning and without ensuring sufficient oversight. Lastly, Semerak had been accused of being involved in the illegal sale of state-owned land and in conflicts of interests.
Reaction and Responses
The dismissal of the three ministers was met with both critique and approval. Many have applauded the decision, seeing it as a much-needed move to bring about much-needed political and economic change. However, the decision has also been frowned upon by those who see it as a sign of instability on part of the government and a violation of the Constitution.
Ukraine’s Parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, has made a bold move with their recent decision to oust three ministerial cabinet members as well as approve four new ministers as replacements. Though this decision comes as a surprise, it is clearly driven by the need for progress in the political and economic arenas and an attempt to tackle the persistent corruption issues. While the decision has been met with both criticism and approval, it remains to be seen how the new cabinet will perform and if the government will finally be able to bring about the much-needed reforms.
