The Ukrainian government is working to reduce the number of ministries by one-third as part of the civil service reform, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said at a press conference on March 4, a Kyiv Independent journalist reported.
According to Shmyhal, 20,000 government vacancies have already been cut in 2024. If the number of ministries is reduced, there will be 15 or 16 ministries left in Ukraine, the prime minister said. Ukraine currently has 20 ministers.
Shmyhal revealed the government's plans to create a "Government Center" that will provide "supportive administrative functions."
"The ministries should formulate policies, and the Government Center, in turn, will provide legal, personnel, accounting, and other support," the prime minister explained.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said at a press conference on Feb. 25 that he was discussing the ministries reduction with Shmyhal due to lack of funding.
"This is the format we are preparing for reducing the number of ministries, reducing the number of ministers, and cheaper management. Not easier to manage, but more coordinated," Zelensky said.
Earlier, the president noted that a reset of Ukraine's leadership was necessary and could involve several personnel shakeups beyond the military. Shmyhal refused to comment on possible government reshuffles.
In early February, Ukraine's parliament approved the resignation of Yuliia Laputina as the veterans affairs minister and appointed Oleksandr Porkhun, a veteran of the Russian-Ukrainian war and a Hero of Ukraine, as the acting head of the Veterans Affairs Ministry instead.
The Kyiv Independent news desk
(Updated: )
