Oleksiy Chernyshov appointed vice prime minister and minister of national unity

Source: Oleksiy Honcharenko/Telegram 

The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine has appointed Oleksiy Chernyshov, former Minister for Community and Territorial Development, to the newly created position of Vice Prime Minister – Minister of National Unity.

Chernyshov’s appointment was approved by 237 MPs.

MP Oleksiy Honcharenko, who voiced his opposition to the rushed decision, criticized the process, remarking, “This nonsense about creating a new ministry only passed because of Opposition  Platform for Life votes.”

The lawmaker also expressed frustration with prime minister Denys Shmyhal’s handling of the new appointment., arguing Shmyhal neither clarified the dual role Chernyshov will play.

“Powerful,” Honcharenko quipped wryly in his statement on social media.

The proposal to vote on Chernyshov’s candidacy came up on the morning of December 3, and by the afternoon, Shmyhal personally presented the new position and his nominee in the Ukrainian parliament.