Ukrainian Parliament Accepts Resignation of Influential Interior Minister
According to RFE/RL, Ukrainian lawmakers have accepted the resignation of Interior Minister Arsen Avakov, one of the nation's most powerful officials, who led the ministry for more than seven years.
Avakov, 57, who served as minister in the last four governments, submitted his letter of resignation two days before parliament voted on July 15 to accept it.
Avakov did not disclose a reason for his sudden decision, which comes amid growing speculation that President Volodymyr Zelenskiy intended to dismiss him for his failure to back certain decisions taken by the National Security and Defense Council, a stance which some in the administration perceived as a lack of loyalty. Avakov is a member of the council.
Immediately after Avakov announced his intention to resign, Zelenskiy named 40-year-old Denys Monastyrskiy, a lawmaker from his Servant of the People party, as the person he wanted to replace the outgoing minister.
Analysts said the immediate announcement of a successor supported speculation that Zelenskiy had been planning to oust Avakov.
Avakov said in March that he would not support imposing sanctions on Zelenskiy's chief rival, former President Petro Poroshenko, adding he was not "an enemy of Ukraine." Avakov served under Poroshenko, who is now under investigation for abuse of office charges he calls politically motivated.
A former governor and party leader, Avakov is considered to be one of the most powerful people in the country behind Zelenskiy and his chief of staff, Andriy Yermak.
He was one of only two ministers from Poroshenko’s team to be invited to join Zelenskiy’s first government in 2019 headed by Prime Minister Oleksei Honcharuk. The other -- Finance Minister Oksana Markarova -- was fired in March 2020.
Avakov has been able to hang on to his post despite several changes of government because he had built strong support among lawmakers and because he likely possesses potentially compromising information on politicians, Ukrainskaya Pravda said in a June 17 article focusing on rumors of his possible dismissal.
