Rada considers PM’s resignation: live broadcast
16 July 14:54
The Verkhovna Rada began considering the resignation of Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal during a meeting on July 16. This was reported by MP Oleksiy Honcharenko, who is broadcasting the session live, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports
Parliamentary Speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk said that the vote to dismiss Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal in the Verkhovna Rada would be held legally.
According to Stefanchuk, parliamentary lawyers have stated that Shmyhal’s dismissal will be legal and does not contradict the law.
It is worth noting that Article 10 of the law “On the Legal Regime of Martial Law” prohibits the termination of the powers of the Cabinet of Ministers during martial law.
Paragraph 1 of Article 10 on the legal regime of martial law provides:
“During the period of martial law, the powers of the President of Ukraine, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, the National Bank of Ukraine, the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights, courts, prosecutor’s offices, bodies engaged in operational and investigative activities, pre-trial investigations, intelligence agencies and bodies whose units are engaged in counterintelligence activities cannot be terminated.
At 14:34, the Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal delivered a speech to the Verkhovna Rada before his resignation. In his address, he expressed gratitude to the key participants in state and social processes who supported Ukraine during his term.
“I thank the soldiers, all the Ukrainians who are holding the front,” he began his speech.
Shmyhal specifically praised the Armed Forces of Ukraine for their courage and sacrifice, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy for his leadership, and the Cabinet of Ministers and heads of departments for their dedicated work. He also thanked the Chairman and members of the Verkhovna Rada for their cooperation, Ukrainian businesses for their resilience in the crisis, and international partners for their support of Ukraine in the international arena.
In his speech, Shmyhal outlined the key achievements of the government during his tenure. He emphasized the macro-financial stability and the successful attraction of frozen Russian assets for Ukraine’s needs.
Shmyhal emphasized the importance of Ukraine’s integration into the EU’s energy space.
Among other achievements, the Prime Minister highlighted significant progress in European integration, including the fulfillment of 80% of obligations to the European Union. He also mentioned support for veteran programs and maintaining economic stability during the pandemic.
Shmyhal added that as of the morning of July 16, there were 340 billion hryvnias in the treasury account, and the state paid all pensions on time.
“These 5 years have become the most difficult in the modern history of Ukraine,” Shmyhal said, emphasizing the challenges the country has faced, including war, economic difficulties and global crises.
After his speech, the Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Ruslan Stefanchuk thanked Shmyhal for his work and patriotism.
Shmyhal was followed by Olena Shulyak, Chair of the Committee on State Power, who said that the committee recommended accepting his resignation.
MPs from different factions and groups also spoke before the vote.
Goncharenko said that among the ministers who attended the meeting, the head of the Ministry of Unity, Oleksiy Chernyshov, was absent.
As a reminder, on July 15, Denys Shmyhal submitted his resignation from the post of Prime Minister. He had served as head of government since March 4, 2020, becoming the prime minister with the longest tenure in the history of independent Ukraine – more than five years.
He is expected to head the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine.
The day before, on July 13, Shmyhal held a working meeting with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. As a result, the head of state announced a “tangible management transformation,” which became a prerequisite for changes in the Cabinet of Ministers.
Denys Shmyhal was born on October 15, 1975, in Lviv. He graduated from Lviv Polytechnic and holds a PhD in Economics. He has worked in business and public administration, particularly in the energy sector.
In 2019, he served as the head of the Ivano-Frankivsk Regional State Administration, and later as Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Community and Territorial Development. on March 4, 2020, the Verkhovna Rada appointed him Prime Minister of Ukraine after the resignation of the government of Oleksiy Honcharuk.
During Shmyhal’s premiership, the country went through a series of major challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic, Russia’s full-scale invasion, the energy crisis, and public administration reform. He coordinated international assistance, the implementation of reconstruction initiatives and European integration processes.
