You're reading: Tymoshenko aware of change in leadership of BYT-Batkivschyna faction

The former head of the BYT-Batkivschyna faction, Ivan Kyrylenko, and its new head, Andriy Kozhemiakin, have said that the change in the leadership of the parliamentary faction has been discussed with Batkivschyna Party leader Yulia Tymoshenko.

"Yesterday, we discussed this issue at a meeting of the political council, and such a decision was agreed upon. We discussed this question with Yulia Volodymyrivna [Tymoshenko] a year ago that it’s time to give way to more young and enterprising members of the faction in connection with the events that occurred as a result of presidential elections and so on," Kyrylenko said at a press briefing on Wednesday.

"Andriy Anatoliyovych [Kozhemiakin] fully meets these requirements, and the faction unanimously supported such a decision… This is an excellent choice – I speak openly – and this should have been done earlier," Kyrylenko said.

The faction’s new leader, Kozhemiakin, in turn, said that in their comments, deputies constantly emphasize that Tymoshenko remains the leader of the faction and the political force.

"The political tasks of the BYT-Batkivschyna faction in the Verkhovna Rada are set by Yulia Volodymyrivna Tymoshenko," he said.

"Therefore, she knows what you’re asking," Kozhemiakin said, when asked to comment on the change in the leadership of the faction.

While commenting on such a decision, Kyrylenko said: "Today the faction decided that I will engage in another area of work linked to the beginning of the election campaign.

The law [on parliamentary elections] will soon be signed, and it will be necessary to focus on the successful completion of the election campaign under new conditions and a new law."

"Therefore, I’m now moving to working at the central office of our party," he said.

The BYT-Batkivschyna faction in parliament re-elected its leadership at a meeting on Wednesday. Kozhemiakin, who earlier served as the first deputy head of the faction, was elected as its head, in place of Kyrylenko.