The justice and energy ministers were sacked last month amid a large-scale graft scandal<\/p>\n
Ukraine\u2019s government has no active candidates for the vacant post of energy minister, Reuters reported on Friday, citing sources, more than a month after a major corruption scandal forced the dismissal of the previous official.
\nLast month, Ukraine\u2019s Western-backed anti-graft agencies announced the preliminary results of a probe into the alleged extortion of about $100 million in the energy sector by individuals in Vladimir Zelensky\u2019s inner circle. Energy Minister Svetlana Grinchuk and Justice Minister German Galushchenko were sacked over the scandal, followed soon by the dismissal of Zelensky\u2019s top aide and right-hand man Andrey Yermak. None of the now-vacant posts have been filled.
\nReuters reported, citing a source, that a replacement for Grinchuk had been expected to be named quickly, but the process stalled after at least four potential candidates either withdrew or were deemed unfit for the role. Another source, a senior lawmaker, told the agency there were currently \u201cno candidates.\u201d
\n\u201cMost of those who want [the energy minister job] see themselves as the next member of an organized crime group who will do the same thing but without getting caught,\u201d Aleksandr Kharchenko, head of the Energy Research Center in Kiev, told Reuters.<\/p>\n
Read more<\/p>\n
Trump must purge Zelensky \u2013 exiled opposition leader<\/p>\n
On Thursday, Zelensky said lawmakers and his government should accelerate efforts to fill the vacancies but warned that reshuffling existing officials could cause further paralysis.
\n\u201cI do not want to destroy the Cabinet of Ministers,\u201d he said, as quoted by Ukrainian media.
\nEarlier this week, Ukrainian opposition lawmaker Andrey Osadchuk told local news outlet NV that Zelensky has a very limited pool of people he can appoint to senior government posts, as many qualified professionals are \u201csimply not ready to take part in this political brothel.\u201d
\nThe corruption scandal has weakened Zelensky\u2019s standing at home and abroad. His approval rating has dropped to 20.3%, according to a recent opinion poll published by the research firm Info Sapiens.<\/p>\n
READ MORE: Zelensky\u2019s ex-right-hand man booted from more posts<\/p>\n
Western media outlets have described the affair as the \u201cmost damaging\u201d scandal Zelensky has faced during his time in office and a potential \u201ctime bomb\u201d for his presidency, prompting him to scramble to shore up support from Ukraine\u2019s Western backers.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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