Members of Ukrainian parliament stand up during the parliament session in Kiev, Ukraine, Aug. 29, 2019. Ukrainian parliament of the 9th convocation appointed Oleksiy Honcharuk to be the Ukrainian prime minister, information on the parliament's official website showed Thursday. His candidacy was introduced by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and supported by 290 MPs out of 419 registered in the session hall, thus making him the youngest government head in the Ukrainian history. (Photo by Sergey/Xinhua)
KIEV, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- The Ukrainian parliament of the 9th convocation has approved a new composition of the Cabinet of Ministers, according to a press release published on the government's website Thursday.
A total of 281 parliament members (MPs) out of 395 registered in the session hall voted in favor of the ministers nominated by the newly-elected Ukrainian Prime Minister Oleksiy Honcharuk during the first meeting of the first parliament's session.
Ukrainian Interior Minister Arsen Avakov was nominated for the position again. The country's Finance Minister Oksana Markarova will continue to head the country's financial affairs.
The Ukrainian Ministry of Economic Affairs was merged with the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food, and the new Ministry of Economic Development, Trade and Agriculture will be headed by Tymofiy Mylovanov, honorary president of Kyiv School of Economics.
Two ministers have been nominated by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and approved by the new parliament on Thursday. Vadym Prystaiko, former Ukrainian ambassador to NATO, will be a new foreign minister of Ukraine.
Zelensky also proposed to appoint Andriy Zahorodnyuk, a lawyer and activist, as new defense minister.
Several ministries have been merged to cut the number of officials and the burden on the state budget. In this way, the new Cabinet of Ministers will be composed of 15 ministers and two vice prime ministers.
Earlier Ukrainian parliament of the 9th convocation appointed Honcharuk to be the Ukrainian prime minister. He was nominated by Zelensky and supported by 290 MPs out of 419 registered in the session hall, thus making him the youngest government head in Ukrainian history.
