FPRI BMB Ukraine: Cabinet reshuffle under way

FPRI BMB Ukraine: Cabinet reshuffle under way
A spat of resignations and rumours of a Cabinet reshuffle are gathering pace as at least four senior members of government are likely to be replaced in Kyiv. / wiki
By FPRI BMB Ukraine November 2, 2021

A Cabinet reshuffle is underway in Kyiv. Rumours of the impending reorganisation gained traction last week after Servant of the People faction head Davyd Arakhamia said that at least four personnel changes were under consideration. Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal confirmed that changes were possible, but declined to give any specifics.  

Later, Servant of the People spokesperson Yulia Paliychuk announced that “personnel issues in the executive branch and the Verkhovna Rada leadership” were on the agenda for a faction meeting on Monday. By this point, LB.ua had already reported that according to informed sources, the decision to appoint Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Reintegration Oleksiy Reznikov as Defence Minister “had already been made,” and that Servant of the People lawmaker Iryna Vereschuk would likely be tapped to take over his vacated post.  

These reports were indeed confirmed on Monday, November 1. Ahead of the ruling party congress in the evening, Reznikov tendered his resignation from the Reintegration Ministry. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Strategic Industries Oleh Uruskiy also resigned from his post.

In turn, Servant of the People lawmakers nominated Reznikov as Defence Minister and Iryna Vereschuk as his replacement. The deputies also nominated State Customs Services Head Pavlo Ryabkin to take over as Minister for Strategic Industries, and Yulia Svyrydenko, who is currently the deputy head of the Ukrainian President's Office, for the post of First Deputy Prime Minister and Economy Minister.  

In addition, the deputies supported the nomination of Viacheslav Shtuchniy as Chief of Staff of the Verkhovna Rada Secretariat (a post he held in 2019-2020). Finally, the faction made a unanimous decision to appoint lawmaker Andriy Motovylovets as its first deputy head.  

The Ukrainian parliament is set to consider the ministers’ resignations on Wednesday, November 3 and appoint their replacements the following day.  

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This article originally appeared in FPRI's BMB Ukraine newsletter. Click here to learn more about BMB Ukraine and subscribe to the newsletter.  

 

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