Ukrainian Parliament Dismisses Culture Minister, Replacement Yet to be Announced

The Verkhovna Rada approved the resignation of Alexander Tkachenko, the Minister of Culture and Information Policy, on Thursday, July 27, with a majority of 321 deputies voting in favor of his dismissal.

President Zelensky had personally urged Tkachenko to step down from his position earlier. However, as of now, we have no information available regarding the identity of his successor. 

Tkachenko's departure came amidst mounting pressure from the public, as a petition calling for his removal had gained 25,000 signatures.

The former minister had been embroiled in numerous controversies, including accusations that he had neglectedUkrainian culture, mismanaged the preservation of historical artifacts and museum pieces, and conducted an ill-fated attempt to liquidate film archives. In recent weeks there were additional complaints about his handling of the Lavra situation.

Tkachenko also faced serious allegations from the public regarding the suppression of free speech, allegedly censoring opposition voices on Ukraine's news telethon while providing a platform for former pro-Russian channel journalists.

With Tkachenko's resignation, the country awaits the appointment of a new culture minister to lead the nation's cultural policies.

Who is Oleksandr Tkachenko?

In 2019, Oleksandr Tkachenko, the general producer of the 1+1 Media Group (funded by the notorious oligarch Ihor Kolomoisky), decided to quit his media work and venture into politics. He joined Volodymyr Zelensky’s Servant of the People (SN) party and was elected as a people’s deputy. Tkachenko knew Zelensky well before standing for office, back when the current president was still the lead actor and the head of the “Kvartal 95 Studio.”

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Tkachenko became one of the experts on information policy in the parliament and became the chairman of the Committee on Humanitarian and Information Policy.

There is further information concerning the scandals surrounding former minister Tkachenko here.