Xinhua News Agency
December 3, 2014
Ukraine’s parliament approves new cabinet
KIEV: The Ukrainian parliament on Tuesday approved the formation of a new cabinet which includes political veterans, new faces and several foreign technocrats who were recently granted Ukrainian citizenship.
The 20-member cabinet, approved with 288 votes in favor, will be led by Prime Minister Arseny Yatsenyuk, a 40-year-old pro-West politician who has served as prime minister since February.
Yatsenyuk, who resigned with his cabinet last month following the Oct. 26 parliamentary election, was later re-appointed prime minister by Poroshenko, and his premiership was approved by the parliament on Nov. 27.
Many of the ministers in the cabinet retain posts they have held for several months, including Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin and Defense Minister Stepan Poltorakt.
Several foreign technocrats, who were granted Ukrainian citizenship by a presidential decree earlier in the day, were given senior cabinet positions.
Natalia Yaresko, a former U.S. citizen of Ukrainian descent, become the finance minister, and Aivaras Abromavicius, a former Lithuanian national, took charge of the ministry of economic development and trade. Alexander Kvitashvili, a former Georgian citizen, became the health minister.
The lawmakers also approved the formation of the ministry of information policy, which was led by former journalist Yury Stets.
The previous Ukrainian cabinet resigned last month following the Oct. 26 parliamentary election. Facing a separatist movement in the country’s east, the new government is tasked with reviving an economy burdened with a free fall in its currency and the soaring borrowing costs.
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Ukrinform
December 2, 2014
Jaresko, Kvitashvili, Abromavicius become Ukrainian citizens
KYIV: Natalie Jaresko, Alexander Kvitashvili and Aivaras Abromavicius have become Ukrainian citizens as persons the granting of Ukrainian citizenship to whom is of state interest.
Ukrainian presidential press secretary Sviatoslav Tseholko reported this on his Facebook page.
“Three foreigners have agreed to become Ukrainian citizens have agreed to share their experience of reforms at senior positions. I think this is a difficult choice for them. Natalie Jaresko, Alexander Kvitashvili and Aivaras Abromavicius have become citizens of Ukraine under a presidential decree,” he said.
Tseholko noted that this question had been considered by a presidential commission that proposed granting citizenship to them.
According to a proposal from the Bloc of Petro Poroshenko, Alexander Kvitashvili could be appointed Ukraine’s health minister, Aivaras Abromavicius economic development and trade minister, and Natalie Jaresko could become finance minister.
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