Honcharuk Government


The Honcharuk government was formed on 29 August 2019, and is led by Oleksiy Honcharuk. It was the fourth Ukrainian cabinet formed since the 2014 Ukrainian revolution, following the 2019 Ukrainian parliamentary election.

Appointment of Honcharuk as Prime Minister

The appointment of Honcharuk as the Prime Minister of Ukraine was approved by the Verkhovna Rada on 29 August 2019. Honcharuk at the time of his appointment was a deputy chairperson of the Presidential Office of Ukraine. 290 People's deputies voted for his candidacy, while the members of most of the other factions did not support it.
From the podium, the newly elected Prime Minister stated that in the upcoming years, each third hryvnia will go towards settling debts. The Prime Minister considers that the main indicator of business attractiveness has to become access to cheaper resources. Honcharuk has promised to take control of the credit rate and Ukraine's image. He considers that credit with a 12-13 annual percentage rate is a reality. At the time of Honcharuk's appointment, 10 million Ukrainians lived below the poverty line and corruption continued to flourish.

Criticism

On 29 August 2019, the Ukrainian parliament also approved the appointment of Ivan Bakanov as Head of the Security Service of Ukraine.

Appointment of Riaboshapka to lead the General Prosecutor's Office

replaced Yuriy Lutsenko as Prosecutor General of Ukraine on 29 August 2019.

Composition

The new government was cut to 17 ministers from the previous 25. The new cabinet was cut to 15 ministers from the previous 19.
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. 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.
Servant of the People appointed five of its members on the party election list 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.

Parliamentary vote for the cabinet

Appointment of Prystaiko as Minister of Foreign Affairs

Appointment of Zahorodniuk as Minister of Defence

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 cannot cross.