The Council of Ministers of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea (Ukrainian: Рада міністрів Автономної Республіки Крим; Russian: Совет министров Автономной Республики Крым), briefly SovMin, is the executive branch of government of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, a republic within southern Ukraine that is currently suspended due to Russian occupation of the Crimean Peninsula since February 27, 2014. The Council of Ministers derived its authority from the Constitution and laws of Ukraine and normative acts of the Verkhovna Rada of Crimea which bring them into its competency.
The Chairman, who is appointed by the Verkhovna Rada (parliament) with approval of the President of Ukraine, headed the cabinet.
On 27 February 2014, during the 2014 Russian aggression against Ukraine, masked gunmen seized the building of the Council of Ministers and members of the Council.[1] Under siege, the Supreme Council of Crimea, chaired by Vladimir Konstantinov, passed a motion of no confidence in the Council of Ministers of Crimea and adopted a resolution to terminate its powers.[2] The parliament dismissed the chairman of the Crimean Council of Ministers Anatolii Mohyliov, and replaced him with a pro-Russian deputy Sergey Aksyonov, who was proclaimed the de facto leader by the ousted president Victor Yanukovych.[3] The ensuing interim Crimean Parliament promptly scheduled a referendum on the independence of Crimea to be held on March 16, 2014.[4]
The Council of Ministers of Crimea was formed March 22, 1991 in connection with the re-creation of the USSR as part of the Crimean Autonomous Republic, by converting the executive committee of the Crimean regional council. In the years 1994–1997 the highest executive body of the Crimean autonomy of Crimea was called by the Government, with the February 3, 1997 – Council of Ministers of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea.
February 27, 2014 the Supreme Council of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea adopted a decision on "vote of no confidence to the Council of Ministers of Crimea and the termination of its activities", after which the then Prime Minister of Crimea, Anatolii Mohyliov, was dismissed, and the existing body appointed Sergey Aksenov. There was a total of 63 votes, 60 of which being in favor of the dissolution, with 0 against and 3 abstained from voting.[5] Various media accounts have disputed whether there was a quorum of 50 deputies before the session convened that day, and some Crimean legislators who were registered as present have said they did not come near the building.[6]
March 6, 2014 the Supreme Council of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea has decided to amend the system and structure of executive bodies. In accordance with the decree, republican authorities formed by the Supreme Council of Crimea by the Chairman of the Council of Ministers of Crimea, and appointment and dismissal of the heads of national authorities carried out the Crimean Parliament in accordance with the Constitution of the Autonomic Republic of Crimea.
March 17, 2014, based on the results of the referendum and adopted the All-Crimean March 11 Declaration of Independence was proclaimed an independent and sovereign Republic of Crimea. On the same day in accordance with the decision of the Crimean Parliament "On the official names of the authorities of the Republic of Crimea and other bodies" executive authority of the State is called the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Crimea.
After the adoption of the Crimean Republic of the Russian Federation 18 March 2014 the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Crimea has been transformed into an executive authority of the Russian Federation.
According to the Constitution of the Republic of Crimea, approved April 11, 2014, the Council of Ministers of Crimea headed directly or Head of the Republic of Crimea – the highest official of the Republic (in order to combine with the office of the Prime Minister) – Chairman of the Board or of Ministers appointed by the head of the Republic of Crimea with the consent of the State Council . Currently in force government was formed February 28, 2014.
On April 11, 2014 the Council of Ministers decided to establish the Ministry of Construction and Architecture of the Crimea to replace the existing National Committee for Construction and Architecture. Appointed minister Vladimir Nikolov.
In accordance with Article 83 of the Constitution of the Republic of Crimea, the Council of Ministers of the Republic:
In the limits of the powers of the government of the republic, they are binding on all its territory. Decisions and orders of the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Crimea shall not contradict the Constitution and laws of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Crimea, as well as decrees of the President of the Russian Federation and the Russian Federation Government Resolution.
Composition was disputed as none of the appointments were approved by the President of Ukraine, while voting for the new council is challenged by the Ukrainian parliament.