Saakashvili offered to become deputy prime minister of Ukraine
Mikheil Saakashvili, the former president of Georgia and ex-governor of the Odesa region, said he had received a proposal from Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky to join the Ukrainian government as deputy prime minister for reforms.
"I approach this proposal and my decision with a very high responsibility, because it is a very difficult time for the country. We have a very difficult period ahead of us both in the economy and in the whole life in the country. We now have more than ever to be bold in our decisions and reforms," wrote Saakashvili on his Facebook page.
The former president of Georgia added that he had already had a "very meaningful and useful" conversation with the Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmygal and he intends to present his proposals to the Vekhovna Rada as part of the overall government program.
Saakashvili expressed hope to become a "reliable member" of the team and use his international experience to enhance the prestige of Ukraine.
Earlier, Ukraynska Pravda reported, citing a source in the "Servant of the People" party, about a possible appointment of Saakashvili as deputy prime minister. According to the sources of the web site LIGA.net in the "Servant of the People" party, the former governor of the Odesa region can get a new position as early as Friday, April 24, after an extraordinary meeting of the Supreme Council.
Saakashvili received his Ukrainian passport on May 29, 2015 by decree of President Petro Poroshenko. From May 2015 to November 2016, the Georgian politician was chairman of the Odesa Regional Administration. However, in July 2017, the Ukrainain authorities stripped Saakashvili of his Ukrainian citizenship explaining that the former president of Georgia provided inaccurate data when he received it. In May 2019, Kyiv overturned Poroshenko's decision to strip Saakashvili of Ukrainian citizenship.
The Government of Ukraine has three deputy prime ministers: Deputy Prime Minister on matters of the European integration Vadym Prystaiko, Minister for Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories of Ukraine Oleksii Reznikov and Minister of Digital Transformation Mykhailo Fedorov.