In ENGLISH | РУС/УКР
Sign in | Register
Mobile version | Subscription | RSS Archive
KyivPost

Azarov's cabinet has highest number of ministers in Europe

Print version
March 16, 2010, 12:23 p.m. | Politics — by Interfax-Ukraine

The new Ukrainian government consists of 29 ministers instead of 16-18 average.
© tsn.ua

The new Ukrainian government consists of 29 ministers, which is the highest number of ministers in Europe. "A total of 16-18 ministers work in an ordinary government of democratic Europe, including a premier and his or her deputies. In particular, the cabinets of Germany, Portugal and Spain have such a number of portfolios," Deutsche Welle reported.

The governments of France and Sweden have a larger number of ministers - 20 and 22 respectively. Italy has the largest cabinet consisting of 24 ministers.

"Meanwhile, ten officials in Rome are 'ministers without a portfolio," who are considered cabinet members responsible for certain work, but they don't have a wide range of ministerial authorities and a big agency," reads the report.

The Ukrainian government is also Europe's only government that has no women in its composition.

"This is a unique cabinet in modern Europe. Several women usually work in the European government," reads the report.

The Ukrainian government also ranks second in Europe in terms of the number of its vice premiers, as there are currently seven vice premiers in the Ukrainian Cabinet of Ministers.

According to the report, there are usually two or three vice premiers in European governments: "Economic or financial departments are usually in their subordination, or sometimes it could be a foreign ministry."
READ MORE IN SECTION
The Kyiv Post is hosting comments to foster lively debate. Criticism is fine, but stick to the issues. Comments that include profanity or personal attacks will be removed from the site. If you think that a posted comment violates these standards, please flag it and alert us. We will take steps to block violators.
Anonymous March 16, 2010, 6:52 p.m.    

Thought the new president was supposed to saving the economy not spending it faster than was before...surely they need to economise not maximize !!!!!

{# <-- parent id goes here
Anonymous March 17, 2010, 11:03 a.m.    

I think it is important to point out that the European countries have a tradition of appointing ministers without a ministry of their own. In Sweden for instance half of the ministers are more of government spoke persons on a particular question, than a full fledged minister. In contrast to Ukraine where all ministers should have a ministry and an apparatus, which is not good and highly inefficient.

{# <-- parent id goes here
Advertising link

KyivPost

© 1995–2012 Public Media

Web links to Kyiv Post material are allowed provided that they contain a URL hyperlink to the www.kyivpost.com material and a maximum 500-character extract of the story. Otherwise, all materials contained on this site are protected by copyright law and may not be reproduced without the prior written permission of Public Media at news@kyivpost.com
All information of the Interfax-Ukraine news agency placed on this web site is designed for internal use only. Its reproduction or distribution in any form is prohibited without a written permission of Interfax-Ukraine.