You're reading: Regions Party decides on its candidates for premier, speaker and head of faction

The representatives of the Regions Party elected to the Verkhovna Rada of the seventh convocation, at a congress in Kyiv, have decided on their candidates for the head of the future Regions Party faction in parliament, parliament speaker and prime minister. 

“We supported the candidacy of Mykola Yanovych Azarov for the post of prime minister,” Regions Party representative Volodymyr Oliynyk told reporters after the congress on Tuesday.

He said that the Regions Party had already held talks with representatives of the Communist Party of Ukraine regarding support for Azarov as Ukraine’s prime minister.

“The consultations are being held now, and they want to hear the prime minister. The faction has the right to discuss with him all issued related to the implementation of the government program,” he said.

Oliynyk also said that Regions Party member had also supported the decision to nominate Volodymyr Rybak for the post of the Verkhovna Rada chairman.

“We also nominated our candidate for the head of the Verkhovna Rada. This is Volodymyr Vasyliovych Rybak,” he said, noting that Rybak’s candidacy was approved by Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych.

He also said that the party had proposed electing Oleksandr Yefremov as the leader of its faction in parliament.