Turning the pages back...

January 9, 2000

Five years ago, in what most observers saw as the first serious effort in Ukraine to form a reform-minded government, President Leonid Kuchma approved the appointment of three new vice-prime ministers and 11 ministers as proposed by his newly confirmed prime minister, Viktor Yushchenko. A story in The Ukrainian Weekly dated January 9, 2000, noted that Mr. Kuchma, who had been re-elected to a second term, had promised in his inauguration speech that Ukraine would begin to move on economic reforms.

The president's appointment of Mr. Yushchenko on December 22, 1999 - considered at home and abroad as perhaps the person most able and willing to make the needed changes - brought with it a sense of optimism and a feeling that change was near. The prime minister's nomination of a Cabinet comprising an eclectic mix of veteran administrators, dedicated reformers and unexpected newcomers bolstered that mood.

On December 30, 1999, President Kuchma confirmed via presidential decree the appointment of Yuri Yekhanurov as the first vice prime minister; Yulia Tymoshenko as vice prime minister of energy affairs; Mykola Zhulynskyi as vice prime minister of humanitarian affairs; as well as Ministers Serhii Tulub, fuel and energy; Serhii Tyhypko, economy; Ivan Sakhan, labor and social policy; Leonid Kostiuchenko, transportation; Vasyl Kremen, education; Bohdan Stupka, culture. The president also confirmed the re-appointment of Ministers Yurii Kravchenko, internal affairs; Borys Tarasyuk, foreign affairs; Suzanna Stanik, justice; Ihor Mitiukov, finance; and Oleksander Kuzmuk, defense.

Source: "Kuchma approves appointment of reformist Cabinet," by Roman Woronowycz, Kyiv Press Bureau, The Ukrainian Weekly, January 9, 2000, Vol. LXVIII,No. 2.

Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, January 9, 2005, No. 2, Vol. LXXIII

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