Stepanov’s dismissal: Shmyhal names the primary reason for the initiative

The dismissal of Maksym Stepanov, the Minister of Health, was initiated because of the slow pace of vaccination against COVID and the constant postponement of supplies. Requests for dismissal are to be considered by the Verkhovna Rada tomorrow, May 18.

Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal stated this at a meeting of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Public Health, Medical Assistance, and Medical Insurance.

According to him, the primary reason for filing a complaint against Stepanov was the unsatisfactory rate of vaccination, as well as the situation with the supply of vaccines. He noted that the president held weekly meetings at which Stepanov gave promises about the timing of delivery of vaccines.

"But the pace shows unsatisfactory work of the Ministry of Health and the Minister as a manager amid a pandemic," he added.

To recap, in the evening on May 14, it became known that the Minister of Economy Ihor Petrashko and the Minister of Infrastructure Vladislav Kryklii wrote resignation letters.

Later, the Rada officially announced that Prime Minister Denis Shmyhal had submitted a motion to parliament to remove Maksym Stepanov from the post of Minister of Health.