Honcharuk_government
Honcharuk Government
Government of Ukraine
The Honcharuk government was formed on 29 August 2019, and was led by Oleksiy Honcharuk.[1] It was the fourth Ukrainian cabinet formed since the 2014 Ukrainian revolution, following the 2019 Ukrainian parliamentary election.
Honcharuk Government | |
|---|---|
| 20th Cabinet of Ukraine (since 1990) | |
| Date formed | 29 August 2019 |
| Date dissolved | 4 March 2020 |
| People and organisations | |
| Head of state | Volodymyr Zelensky |
| Head of government | Oleksiy Honcharuk |
| Member parties | Servant of the People |
| Status in legislature | Majority |
| Opposition parties | Opposition Platform — For Life European Solidarity Fatherland Voice |
| Opposition leaders | Yuriy Boyko Vadim Rabinovich Petro Poroshenko Yulia Tymoshenko Svyatoslav Vakarchuk |
| History | |
| Election(s) | 2019 Ukrainian parliamentary election |
| Legislature term(s) | 5 years |
| Predecessor | Groysman Government |
| Successor | Shmyhal Government |
Appointment of Honcharuk as Prime Minister
The appointment of Honcharuk as the Prime Minister of Ukraine was approved by the Verkhovna Rada (Ukraine's parliament) on 29 August 2019.[2] Honcharuk at the time of his appointment was a deputy chairperson of the Presidential Office of Ukraine.[2] 290 People's deputies voted for his candidacy, while the members of most of the other factions (Opposition Platform — For Life, European Solidarity, Fatherland, and Voice) did not support it.[2]
| Faction | Yes[2] | No | Abstained | Did not vote | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Servant of the People | 247 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 251 |
| Opposition Platform — For Life | 0 | 0 | 0 | 42 | 42 |
| European Solidarity | 0 | 26 | 0 | 1 | 27 |
| Fatherland | 0 | 0 | 12 | 11 | 23 |
| For the Future | 22 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22 |
| Voice | 0 | 0 | 13 | 4 | 17 |
| Non-affiliated | 21 | 1 | 10 | 4 | 36 |
| All factions | 290 | 27 | 35 | 66 | 418 |
From the podium, the newly elected Prime Minister stated that in the upcoming years, each third hryvnia would go towards settling debts.[2] The Prime Minister considered that the main indicator of business attractiveness had to become access to cheaper resources.[2] Honcharuk promised to take control of the credit rate and Ukraine's image.[2] He considered that credit with a 12-13 annual percentage rate is a reality.[2][further explanation needed] At the time of Honcharuk's appointment, 10 million Ukrainians lived below the poverty line and corruption continued to flourish.[2]
In the new government no one will be stealing... Within a few weeks Ukraine will be visited by the IMF mission and we will negotiate a new agreement... In Ukraine we have an inadequate minimal living wage, it is impossible to survive on these wages.
— Oleksiy Honcharuk, the Verkhovna Rada podium[2]
Criticism
- Opposition Platform — For Life said that the main task of the Prime Minister should not be Ukraine's image nor its economic development but ending the War in Donbass.[2]
- European Solidarity questioned the transparency of the selection of the Prime Minister candidate.[2]
- The leader of Fatherland, Yulia Tymoshenko told journalists on 29 August 2019 that even though her party did not support the appointment of Honcharuk, her party would support the government (working outside the majority) and would not sit on the opposition benches. Less than three months later, the party moved into opposition due to its disagreement with the government's plan to remove the long-standing moratorium on selling agricultural land.[3]
- Voice did not support the appointment of Honcharuk as Prime Minister because it was not informed about the composition of the rest of the government.[2]
Appointment of Bakanov to lead the Security Service of Ukraine
On 29 August 2019, the Ukrainian parliament also approved the appointment of Ivan Bakanov as Head of the Security Service of Ukraine.[4]
| Faction | Yes[5] | No | Abstained | Did not vote | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Servant of the People | 248 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 252 |
| Opposition Platform — For Life | 0 | 0 | 0 | 35 | 43 |
| European Solidarity | 0 | 26 | 1 | 0 | 27 |
| Fatherland | 21 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24 |
| For the Future | 21 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 22 |
| Voice | 0 | 0 | 16 | 1 | 17 |
| Non-affiliated | 29 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 37 |
| All factions | 319 | 26 | 22 | 41 | 408 |
Appointment of Riaboshapka to lead the General Prosecutor's Office
Ruslan Riaboshapka replaced Yuriy Lutsenko as Prosecutor General of Ukraine on 29 August 2019.[6]
| Faction | Yes[7] | No | Abstained | Did not vote | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Servant of the People | 243 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 247 |
| Opposition Platform — For Life | 0 | 0 | 0 | 27 | 43 |
| European Solidarity | 0 | 26 | 0 | 1 | 27 |
| Fatherland | 23 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24 |
| For the Future | 22 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22 |
| Voice | 0 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 17 |
| Non-affiliated | 24 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 37 |
| All factions | 312 | 26 | 25 | 32 | 395 |
Parliamentary vote for the cabinet
| Faction | Yes[8] | No | Abstained | Did not vote | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Servant of the People | 238 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 252 |
| Opposition Platform — For Life | 0 | 0 | 0 | 30 | 43 |
| European Solidarity | 0 | 26 | 0 | 0 | 27 |
| Fatherland | 0 | 0 | 17 | 5 | 24 |
| For the Future | 22 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22 |
| Voice | 0 | 0 | 17 | 0 | 17 |
| Non-affiliated | 21 | 0 | 10 | 2 | 37 |
| All factions | 281 | 26 | 45 | 43 | 395 |
Appointment of Prystaiko as Minister of Foreign Affairs
| Faction | Yes[9] | No | Abstained | Did not vote | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Servant of the People | 250 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 252 |
| Opposition Platform — For Life | 0 | 0 | 0 | 34 | 43 |
| European Solidarity | 0 | 0 | 25 | 1 | 27 |
| Fatherland | 21 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 24 |
| For the Future | 20 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 22 |
| Voice | 0 | 0 | 15 | 2 | 17 |
| Non-affiliated | 19 | 0 | 9 | 7 | 37 |
| All factions | 310 | 0 | 49 | 49 | 408 |
Appointment of Zahorodniuk as Minister of Defence
| Faction | Yes[10] | No | Abstained | Did not vote | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Servant of the People | 248 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 252 |
| Opposition Platform — For Life | 0 | 0 | 1 | 36 | 43 |
| European Solidarity | 0 | 25 | 0 | 0 | 27 |
| Fatherland | 22 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24 |
| For the Future | 21 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 22 |
| Voice | 0 | 0 | 9 | 5 | 17 |
| Non-affiliated | 23 | 0 | 4 | 7 | 37 |
| All factions | 314 | 25 | 14 | 52 | 405 |
Retention of Avakov in the new government
One of the most acute issues that were part of long discussions and negotiations was keeping the Minister of Internal Affairs Arsen Avakov who had held his post since the Revolution of Dignity. The newly elected Prime Minister Honcharuk noted that the decision to keep the minister was one of the most complex, yet for the Minister of Internal Affairs "drew certain red lines" which he could not cross.[11]
In early 2020, domestic media outlets reported that President Volodymyr Zelensky had lost confidence in Prime Minister Honcharuk due to the slow speed at which his government was carrying out reforms.[12] Ukrainian media expected this lack of confidence would culminate in a vote in the Verkhovna Rada on March 4 in which Zelensky would propose sweeping changes to the government, including the appointment of a new prime minister.[13][12]
On 3 March 2020 Honcharuk tendered his resignation and according to Ukrainian law the Prime Minister's resignation meant the automatic resignation of the entire government.[14] Speaking before the vote on Honcharuk's dismissal, President Zelensky thanked him for his work, while blaming his government for an inefficient economic policy, a decline in industrial production and customs revenues, and accused them of poor communication with local authorities and the public, as well as failing to prepare for further reforms.[15] The following day the Honcharuk government was replaced by the Shmyhal Government.[16][15]
The new government was cut to 17 ministers from the previous 25.[17] The new cabinet was cut to 15 ministers from the previous 19.[17]
Under the Constitution of Ukraine, the President of Ukraine submits nominations to parliament for the post of Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of Defense.
According to Ukrayinska Pravda, President Volodymyr Zelensky continued to hold interviews with candidates for Minister of Healthcare on the day the cabinet was appointed.[18] On 31 August 2019, Servant of the People faction leader Davyd Arakhamia stated on ZIK channel that most likely the then current Healthcare Minister, Zoriana Skaletska, would be replaced by Mikhail Radutsky (who according to Arakhamia needed "about three months to prepare" for the post (in August 2019).[19]
Servant of the People appointed five of its members on the party election list (who are not actual members of the party) as ministers in the Honcharuk government.
On 4 February 2020 Minister of Regional Development Aliona Babak was replaced by Denys Shmygal at her own request.[20][21]
| Nominating party key |
Servant of the People | |
|---|---|---|
| Presidential nominations | President Volodymyr Zelensky |
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- Fedorov is a non-partisan member of Ukrainian parliament and government.[22]
- Maliuska is a non-partisan member of Ukrainian parliament and government.[23]
- Novosad is a non-partisan member of Ukrainian parliament and government.[24]
- Orzhel is a non-partisan member of Ukrainian parliament and government.[25]
- Krykliy is a non-partisan member of Ukrainian parliament and government.[26]
- Babak is a former member of Self-Reliance, but in 2019 she ran to the parliament as member of Servant of People and later was appointed to the government.[27]
- "Ukrainian Lawmakers Approve Political Novice Honcharuk As Prime Minister". RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty. Retrieved 2019-08-29.
- "Tymoshenko's Batkivshchyna party moves to opposition over land market law | KyivPost - Ukraine's Global Voice". KyivPost. 2019-11-13. Retrieved 2019-11-20.
- Draft of resolution. Verkhovna Rada. 29 August 2019
- The new Attorney General was a former NAPC member, Ukrayinska Pravda (29 August 2019)
- "Zelensky shakes up Ukraine government and proposes new prime minister". The Times. London. Retrieved 2020-03-04.
- "Financial Times: Україна змінює уряд в дуже невдалий час". www.unian.ua (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 2020-03-04.
- (in Ukrainian) Zelensky is still looking for a candidate for the head of the Ministry of Health, Ukrayinska Pravda (January 29, 2019)
- Mykhailo Fedorov. Central Election Commission.
- Denys Maliuska. Central Election Commission.
- Hanna Novosad. Central Election Commission.
- Oleksiy Orzhel. Central Election Commission.
- Vladyslav Krykliy. Central Election Commission.