Parliament dismisses interior minister Avakov

The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine dismissed Arsen Avakov from the post of Minister of Internal Affairs.

As an Ukrinform correspondent reports, 291 lawmakers voted for the decision.

Arsen Avakov submitted his resignation on July 13. MPs from the Servant of the People party discussed the dismissal of Avakov at a faction meeting on the same day. The meeting of the political force was attended by President Volodymyr Zelensky, Head of the President’s Office Andriy Yermak, and Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal.

Following the meeting, it became known that the main candidate for the post of the head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs is incumbent chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Law Enforcement Denys Monastyrsky. He said that he accepted the President's proposal to head the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

Monastyrsky's candidacy for the post will be considered on Friday, July 16.

As reported, Avakov became acting Minister of Internal Affairs on February 22, 2014, after Vitaliy Zakharchenko had been dismissed.

Since February 27, 2014, Avakov has been the Minister of Internal Affairs in the governments of Arseniy Yatsenyuk, Volodymyr Groysman, Oleksiy Honcharuk, and Denys Shmyhal.

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