President dismisses a number of ministers due to government's resignation
Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych has signed decrees dismissing Vitaliy Zakharchenko as interior minister, Kostiantyn Hryschenko as foreign minister, Yuriy Kolobov as finance minister, Yuriy Boiko as energy and coal industry minister, Eduard Stavytsky as environment minister, Dmytro Salamatin as defense minister, Raisa Bohatyriova as health minister, and Mykhailo Kulyniak as culture minister.
According to the decrees, which were posted on the Web site of the head of state on Monday, the ministers were dismissed in connection with the resignation of the Cabinet of Ministers.
Yanukovych also signed decrees dismissing Oleksandr Klymenko as head of the State Tax Service, Oleh Proskuriakov as head of the State Service for Geology and Natural Resources, and Dmytro Kolesnikov as head of the State Agency for Management of State Corporate Rights and Property.
As reported, on December 3, the head of state accepted the resignation of Ukrainian Prime Minister Mykola Azarov and the entire composition of the Cabinet of Ministers.
Seven government members were dismissed under separate decrees due to their election as MPs. In particular, the president dismissed Vice Premier and Infrastructure Minister Borys Kolesnikov, Vice Premier and Social Policy Minister Sergiy Tigipko, Emergencies Minister Viktor Baloha, Regional Development, Construction and Housing and Utilities Minister Anatoliy Blyzniuk, Justice Minister Oleksandr Lavrynovych, Economic Development and Trade Minister Petro Poroshenko, and Education and Science, Youth and Sports Minister Dmytro Tabachnyk.
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.
