Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich on Wednesday sacked two deputy prime ministers, invoking for the first time new constitutional powers, his office said.
Yanukovich sacked Deputy Prime Minister Viktor Slauta, who supervised the agricultural sector, and his colleague Volodymyr Sivkovich who coordinated the work of the Interior Ministry and the Defence Ministry.
Relevant decrees were posted on the presidential website on Wednesday.
At the same time, Yanukovych appointed Sivkovych deputy secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine. Slauta was appointed presidential advisor.
The sackings were the first case when Yanukovich used the powers granted to him by this month’s constitutional court ruling.
On October 1, the court overturned the 2004 amendments to the constitution which had stripped the president of some powers — such as naming government ministers — in favour of the parliament.
The 1996 constitution, which has now come back into force, envisages only three deputy prime ministers and one first deputy prime minister. Until now, Ukraine had five deputy PMs.
