Yanukovych appoints new Cabinet of Ministers

Serhiy Arbuzov, former head of the National Bank, was appointed First Vice Prime Minister. According to the presidential decree, he will ensure the fulfillment of tasks and powers in the areas of agrarian policy and food, economic development, trade, social policy, finances, revenues and duties.

Yuriy Boyko and Oleksander Vilkul were appointed Vice Prime Ministers. Boiko will ensure the fulfillment of tasks and powers in the spheres of ecology, natural resources, energy, coal industry and industrial policy. While Vilkul will ensure the fulfillment of tasks and powers in the areas of infrastructure, regional development, construction, utilities and housing economy.

Former foreign minister Kostiantyn Hryschenko appointed another Ukraine’s Vice Premier.

Olena Lukash became a Minister of Cabinet of Ministers. She will be responsible for general management of the cabinet’s secretariat and its head and support the effective operation of the government.

Yuri Kolobov remained at the position of Finance Minister.

Ihor Prasolov took a seat of Minister of Economic Development and Trade, which was previously occupied by Petro Poroshenko.

Eduard Stavytsky became Energy and Coal Industry Minister.

Instead of Borys Kolesnikov, the seat of Infrastructure Minister was occupied by Volodymyr Kozak, former Head of the State Railway Administration of Ukraine. While Kolesnikov became a governor of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast.

Hennady Temnyk was appointed Minister of Regional Development, Construction and Utilities.

Oleh Proskuriakov became Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources.

Natalia Korolevska was appointed Minister of Social Policy.

Oleksander Klymenko, former head of the State Tax Administration, was appointed Minister of Revenues and Duties. Yanukovych has reorganized the State Tax Service and the State Customs Service into the Ministry of Revenues and Duties of Ukraine.

Pavlo Lebedev became Defense Minister.

Vitaly Zakharchenko remained Interior Minister.

Leonid Kozhara was appointed a new Minister of Foreign Affairs. 

Mykhaylo Bolotsky became Head of the reorganized State Emergency Service.

Oleksander Lavrynovych was again appointed Minister of Justice.

Dmytro Tabachnyk remained at the position of the Education Minister.

Raisa Bohatyriova was reappointed Health Minister.

Yanukovych has reappointed Mykola Prysiazhniuk as the agrarian policy and food minister.

On December 9, the president nominated Azarov for premier. On December 13, the parliament approved the president’s proposal to appoint Azarov as prime minister.

According to the Constitution of Ukraine, the president of Ukraine appoints the prime minister following the approval of the candidacy by more than a half of the constitutional membership of the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine’s parliament. The president also appoints the staff of the government nominated by the premier.