Ukrainian president to be inaugurated May 20
The inauguration of the newly elected President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, will take place on Monday, May 20.
Earlier, MPs rejected a proposal to appoint the inauguration for a Sunday, May 19, as Zelensky himself requested.
His supporters held a protest in front of the Rada demanding to appoint the inauguration for that date.
The headquarters of Volodymyr Zelensky reacted critically to the decision of the parliament.
As stated by political advisor to Zelensky, Dmitry Razumkov, “some of the MPs just decided to take a path, any path, in order not to support the proposal of the president-elect of the country and those citizens of Ukraine who supported him in the elections.”
Razumkov noted that the appointment of the date of the inauguration on a Monday creates problems for inviting foreign guests, since it would be much more convenient for international delegations to arrive before the start of the working week.
In addition, Razumkov says the inauguration date is not convenient for Kiev residents either.
Ukrainian analysts say that it was of fundamental importance for Zelensky to appoint the inauguration before May 27 – after this date he would not be able to dissolve the Verkhovna Rada, as it would otherwise remain a bit less than six months before the completion of its powers.
Zelensky has no supporters in the current composition of the parliament, and it will most likely be difficult for him to push for the adoption of the laws he needs. However, the elected president himself has not yet expressed a desire to dissolve parliament.
Ukrainian presidential elections
Volodymyr Zelensky was elected as a result of the second round of the presidential elections on April 21, receiving 73 percent of the vote, and his opponent, the incumbent president Petro Poroshenko, received slightly more than 24 percent.
41-year-old showman, artist and comedian Vladimir Zelensky Zelensky became known in Ukraine as the lead actor in the TV series Servant of the People – in which he ‘accidentally’ becomes the president of Ukraine.
Never before has he participated in political life, nor has he been in the public service.
In January 2019, a journalistic investigation was published, which contained evidence that Zelensky owned three companies in Russia. But oddly enough, this information, according to sociologists, played in favor of Zelensky.
The main slogans of this candidate are the fight against corruption and oligarchs and the settlement of relations with Russia through negotiations with international participation.
One of the reasons for his high rating is the protest mood in the country and the request for new people in politics. Vladimir Zelensky enjoys the support of primarily young people and residents of Russian-speaking regions of Ukraine.
The outgoing president, 52-year-old Petro Poroshenko, is one of the richest people in Ukraine. The source of his fortune is the confectionery business.
Poroshenko’s campaign was based on the fact that the army’s combat capability was strengthened under his reign, an agreement on visa-free travel was signed with the European Union and the Ukrainian Orthodox Church gained autonomy.
Poroshenko’s opponents blame him primarily for his inability to fight corruption.
