The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine has passed the bill on the interior agencies of Ukraine (No. 2561).

A total of 245 lawmakers voted for the respective bill at first reading on Thursday.

"The bill on interior agencies assigns the Interior Ministry the status of a civil ministry, which forms state policy in the corresponding direction, as well as legal and organizational issues of the work of the central executive agencies in internal affairs," Interior Minister Arsen Avakov said when presenting the bill to the parliament on Thursday.