Honcharuk Government Explained

Cabinet Name:Honcharuk Government
Cabinet Number:20th
Jurisdiction:Ukraine (since 1990)
Date Formed:29 August 2019
Date Dissolved:4 March 2020
Government Head:Oleksiy Honcharuk
State Head:Volodymyr Zelensky
Political Parties:Servant of the People
Legislature Status:Majority
Election:2019 Ukrainian parliamentary election
Legislature Term:5 years
Opposition Parties:Opposition Platform — For Life
European Solidarity
Fatherland
Voice
Opposition Leaders:Yuriy Boyko
Vadim Rabinovich
Petro Poroshenko
Yulia Tymoshenko
Svyatoslav Vakarchuk
Previous:Groysman Government
Successor:Shmyhal Government

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.

History

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! No! Abstained! Did not vote! Total
Servant of the People247004251
Opposition Platform — For Life0004242
European Solidarity0260127
Fatherland00121123
For the Future2200022
Voice0013417
Non-affiliated21110436
All factions290273566418
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] At the time of Honcharuk's appointment, 10 million Ukrainians lived below the poverty line and corruption continued to flourish.[2]

Criticism

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 People248011252
Opposition Platform — For Life0003543
European Solidarity0261027
Fatherland2100024
For the Future2100122
Voice0016117
Non-affiliated2904337
All factions319262241408

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 People243004247
Opposition Platform — For Life0002743
European Solidarity0260127
Fatherland2300024
For the Future2200022
Voice0016017
Non-affiliated2409037
All factions312262532395

Parliamentary vote for the cabinet

! Faction! Yes[8] ! No! Abstained! Did not vote! Total
Servant of the People238016252
Opposition Platform — For Life0003043
European Solidarity0260027
Fatherland0017524
For the Future2200022
Voice0017017
Non-affiliated21010237
All factions281264543395

Appointment of Prystaiko as Minister of Foreign Affairs

! Faction! Yes[9] ! No! Abstained! Did not vote! Total
Servant of the People250002252
Opposition Platform — For Life0003443
European Solidarity0025127
Fatherland2100124
For the Future2000222
Voice0015217
Non-affiliated1909737
All factions31004949408

Appointment of Zahorodniuk as Minister of Defence

! Faction! Yes[10] ! No! Abstained! Did not vote! Total
Servant of the People248003252
Opposition Platform — For Life0013643
European Solidarity0250027
Fatherland2200024
For the Future2100122
Voice009517
Non-affiliated2304737
All factions314251452405

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]

Fall

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]

Composition

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 nominationsPresident Volodymyr Zelensky
LogoOfficeIncumbent
Prime MinisterOleksiy Honcharuk
Vice Prime Minister (European integration)Dmytro Kuleba
Mykhailo Fedorov
Minister of Digital Transformation
Denys Shmyhal (from February 2020)
Minister of Internal AffairsArsen Avakov
Minister of Foreign AffairsVadym Prystaiko
Minister of FinanceOksana Markarova
Minister of DefenceAndriy Zahorodniuk
Minister of Social PolicyYuliya Sokolovska
Minister of Temporarily Occupied Territories, IDPs and veteransOksana Koliada
Minister of JusticeDenys Maliuska
Minister of Healthcarestyle=
Minister of EducationHanna Novosad
Ministry of Energy Generation and Protection of EnvironmentOleksiy Orzhel
Minister of InfrastructureVladyslav Krykliy
Minister of Economic Development, Trade and AgricultureTymofiy Mylovanov
Minister of Development of Communities and TerritoriesAlyona Babak (until February 2020)
Denys Shmyhal (from February 2020)
Volodymyr Borodiansky
Minister of the Cabinet of Ministersstyle= "background:
}" || Dmytro Dubilet|-|}

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Ukrainian Lawmakers Approve Political Novice Honcharuk As Prime Minister. RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty. en. 2019-08-29.
  2. https://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2019/08/29/7224788/ The Rada appointed Honcharuk as the Prime Minister (Рада призначила Гончарука прем’єром)
  3. Web site: Tymoshenko's Batkivshchyna party moves to opposition over land market law KyivPost - Ukraine's Global Voice. 2019-11-13. KyivPost. 2019-11-20.
  4. https://web.archive.org/web/20190829194338/http://w1.c1.rada.gov.ua/pls/zweb2/webproc4_1?pf3511=66244 Draft of resolution
  5. https://web.archive.org/web/20190829231654/http://w1.c1.rada.gov.ua/pls/radan_gs09/ns_golos?g_id=45 Individual voting about draft of resolution about appointing of Bakanov I.H. on the post of Head of Security Service of Ukraine (#1021) – as general and in whole (Поіменне голосування про проект Постанови про призначення Баканова І.Г. на посаду Голови Служби безпеки України (№1021) - за основу та в цілому)
  6. https://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2019/08/29/7224824/ The new Attorney General was a former NAPC member
  7. https://web.archive.org/web/20190829230554/http://w1.c1.rada.gov.ua/pls/radan_gs09/ns_golos?g_id=56 Individual voting about draft of resolution about giving consent on appointing Riaboshapka R.H. by the President of Ukraine on the post of General Prosecutor of Ukraine (#1019) – as general and in whole (Поіменне голосування про проект Постанови про надання згоди на призначення Президентом України Рябошапки Р.Г. на посаду Генерального прокурора (№1019) - за основу та в цілому)
  8. https://web.archive.org/web/20190829223415/http://w1.c1.rada.gov.ua/pls/radan_gs09/ns_golos?g_id=46 Individual voting about appointing members of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine (Поіменне голосування про призначення членів Кабінету Міністрів України)
  9. https://web.archive.org/web/20190829231829/http://w1.c1.rada.gov.ua/pls/radan_gs09/ns_golos?g_id=43 Individual voting about draft of resolution about appointing Prystaiko V.V. on the post of Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine (#1024) – as general and in whole (Поіменне голосування про проект Постанови про призначення Пристайка В.В. на посаду Міністра закордонних справ України (№1024) - за основу та в цілому)
  10. https://web.archive.org/web/20190829232722/http://w1.c1.rada.gov.ua/pls/radan_gs09/ns_golos?g_id=42 Individual voting about draft of resolution about appointing Zahorodniuk A. as Minister of Defense of Ukraine (#1023) – as general and in whole (Поіменне голосування про проект Постанови про призначення Пристайка В.В. на посаду Міністра закордонних справ України (№1024) - за основу та в цілому)
  11. https://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2019/08/30/7224875/ The new Prime Minister explained how left Avakov: "the red lines" (Новий прем’єр пояснив, як лишили Авакова: "червоні лінії")
  12. Zelensky shakes up Ukraine government and proposes new prime minister. 2020-03-04.
  13. Web site: Financial Times: Україна змінює уряд в дуже невдалий час. www.unian.ua. uk. 2020-03-04.
  14. https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-polytics/2889890-ukrainian-parliament-approves-new-government-composition.html Ukrainian parliament approves new government composition
  15. https://www.osw.waw.pl/en/publikacje/analyses/2020-03-05/denys-shmyhal-new-prime-minister-ukraine Denys Shmyhal is the new Prime Minister of Ukraine
  16. https://en.hromadske.ua/posts/ukrainian-parliament-votes-in-new-pm-denys-shmyhal A New Government for Ukraine: One Female Minister and "Indispensable" Arsen Avakov
  17. https://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2019/08/29/7224810/ New Cabinet formed in Ukraine The Rada appointed the new Cabinet: Avakov and Markarova remained (РАДА ПРИЗНАЧИЛА НОВИЙ КАБМІН: АВАКОВ І МАРКАРОВА ЛИШИЛИСЬ)
  18. Zelensky is still looking for a candidate for the head of the Ministry of Health, Ukrayinska Pravda (January 29, 2019)
  19. https://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2019/08/31/7224919/ Later, the new head of the Ministry of Health will be replaced by Radutsky - Arachamia
  20. https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/babak-uhodit-dolzhnosti-glavy-minregiona-1579189997.html Babak is leaving her post in Ministry of regions, – the source (Бабак йде з посади голови Мінрегіону, - джерело)
  21. https://www.unian.info/m/politics/10858727-ukraine-s-parliament-appoints-shmyhal-as-deputy-prime-minister-minister-of-community-development.html Ukraine's parliament appoints Shmyhal as Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Community Development