Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine has backed the resignation of Ecology and Natural Resources Minister Ihor Shevchenko.

A total of 235 MPs voted for the respective decision on Thursday morning.

As reported, the Ukrainian Cabinet of Ministers on June 24 decided to pass on to the parliament a presentation on the dismissal of Shevchenko, who was appointed as Ecology and Natural Resources Minister of Ukraine under the Batkivschyna faction quota.

"This decision was taken in light of ecology ministry, as a central agency of the executive power, losing its controllability, [the ministry] doesn't fulfill its basic functions and obligations of the state in the environmental protection sector," reads a report issued by the government's press service on Wednesday.

According to the report, in the six months since Shevchenko was appointed, the ministry has failed to use funds, received as part of the EU sectoral budget support for events foreseen by the national action plan on environment protection for 2011-2015, in a purposeful and efficient manner.

During the meeting, the government ministers asked him to resign of his own accord, however he refused to do so.