Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich dismissed two vice-prime ministers on Wednesday, October 13.

Vice Prime Minister Vladimir Sivkovich has been offered the position of deputy secretary of the National Security and Defence Council. Vice Prime Minister Viktor Slauta has been offered to become a presidential adviser, the presidential press service said.

In March 2010, Sivkovich was appointed vice-prime minister in the government of Nikolai Azarov to oversee the Defence Ministry, the Interior Ministry and other law enforcement agencies.

Slauta was responsible for the agro-industrial sector.

Under the Constitution of 1996, the prime minister can have three deputies. There were five of them in the previous Azarov government.

Meanwhile, Yanukovich has ordered members of the government and the heads of central executive bodies to continue to carry out their functions.

Yanukovich signed a decree that gave the government a month for exploring the possibility of “optimising the structure of the system of executive bodies, eliminate duplicating functions and reduce administrative personnel and their expenditures,” the presidential press service said.

An updated version of the law “On the Cabinet of Ministers”, which entered into force on October 13, is consistent with the requirements contained in the Constitution of 1996 and allows the president to form the government and dismiss the prime minister without the parliament’s approval.

“The president of Ukraine once again has the right to appoint the prime minister by agreement with the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. He determines the candidature to be submitted to the parliament for confirmation. All members of the Cabinet and the heads of central executive bodies are appointed at the prime minister’s recommendation,” Justice Minister Alexander Lavrinovich said earlier.

According to Lavrinovich, the government suggests that the parliament amend 32 laws that distribute powers between the president, the government and the parliament.

Prime Minister Nikolai Azarov said these amendments would help improve the organisation of work in the executive branch. “Under the new law, the government bears responsibility before the president and accountable to the Verkhovna Rada,” Azarov said.

The need for legislative changes arose after the Constitutional Court had cancelled the constitutional reform of 2004, which limited the president’s powers in favour of the parliament and allowed the parliamentary coalition to form the government.

Three factions in the Ukrainian parliament signed an agreement to form a new majority called “Stability and Reforms”.

The document was signed by Alexander Yefremov of the Party of Regions, Pyotr Simonenko of the Communist Party, and Igor Sharov of the Litvin Bloc.

Parliament speaker Vladimir Litvin and Prime Minister Nikolai Azarov attended the signing ceremony.

Earlier, the three factions formed a parliamentary coalition. But on October 1 the Constitutional Court cancelled the political reform of 2004 that limited the powers of the president and restored the Constitution of 1996. The constitution dos not require a coalition in the parliament, which after the political reform of 2004 recommended presidential candidates. A majority in the parliament should consist of at least 226 deputies.


Itar-Tass