Ukraine in Arabic | Ukrainian parliament approves new government
KYIV/Ukraine in Arabic/ Ukraine's parliament approved the formation of a new government Tuesday, bringing an end to weeks of behind-the-scenes political wrangling following an October election that ushered in a group of pro-Western parties. The government is led by Arseniy Yatsenyuk, who has been prime minister since February.
Parliament members were voted into office in a popular election Oct. 26 and were immediately tasked with forming a new government to lead the country at a time of heightened violence between the Ukrainian military and pro-Russian separatists seeking to cut ties with the pro-European contingent in western Ukraine. The appointments follow weeks of negotiations between parties in Ukraine’s parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, the Associated Press reported.
Two key ministers, Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin and Defense Minister Stepan Poltorak, were overwhelmingly chosen to remain at their posts. Both became prominent voices in the government this year as a bloody conflict with pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine grew to an international crisis between Russia and the West.
A ceasefire signed in early September crumbled throughout November with sporadic shelling around Donetsk, a rebel bastion in the east. Both sides allege the other forced an end to the ceasefire. The appointments mean Ukraine will likely continue to put pressure on Russia, which the government accuses of invading the country.
Three foreign nationals were given Ukrainian citizenship Tuesday so they could take ministerial positions. Natalya Yaresko, an American national with experience at the State Department who has worked in Ukraine for 20 years, was appointed finance minister, Radio Free Europe reported. Aleksandr Kvitashvili, a Georgian, was named health minister, and Lithuanian Aivaras Abromavicius was made economy minister.
“There are absolutely extraordinary challenges facing Ukraine,” said Poroshenko, according to Al Jazeera. “All this requires innovative solutions in the government. These decisions mean searching for candidates for the new government not only in Ukraine but also abroad.”
President Poroshenko has also announced he will sign a decree to grant citizenship to foreigners fighting on Kiev’s side in the east of the country.
Natalie Jaresko of the US, who currently heads the Kiev-based Horizon Capital investment fund, will take reigns at the Ukrainian Finance Ministry.
In 1992-1995, Jaresko served as the first Chief of the Economic Section of the US Embassy in Ukraine.
Before that she occupied several economic positions in the US State Department, according to Horizon Capital website.
The position of health minister went to Aleksandr Kvitashvili, who occupied a similar post in the Georgian government in 2009-2012.
Lithuanian Aivaras Abromavicius has been approved as the economy minister by the new parliament, the Verkhovna Rada.
Abromavicius, who is a partner at the $3.6 billion-worth East Capital asset management group, conducts his operations from Kiev after marrying a Ukrainian.
288 out of 450 deputies supported the cabinet proposed by Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko, with the new ministers sworn in right after the vote.