Cabinet rules to dismiss Klitschko as Kyiv administration head

The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine ruled on Sept. 4 to
dismiss Vitali Klitschko from his post as head of the Kyiv City Administration,
citing his close ties to Vadym Stolar, among the capital city’s real estate
kingpins who is widely accused of corruption. “Regardless of the fact that this
is the team’s decision and the final decision will be made by the president, I
don’t have any doubts that corruption has not stopped in Kyiv and groups of
influence still exist in Kyiv that too strongly influence the administration’s
interests,” said Prime Minister Oleksiy Honcharuk during a Sept. 4 press
briefing. “So I think that if we bolster Mr. Klitschko with a strong
administration head, a manager capable of resisting all these groups of
influence, that will be very well reflected upon the interests of average Kyivans.”
Stolar was elected to parliament with the pro-Putin Opposition Platform For
Life party.

In response to the Cabinet ruling, Klitschko accused
Ukrainian President Zelensky of illegal actions aimed at taking control of the
mayorship. “What is happening is illegal,” Klitschko said. “This is not
constitutional, not democratic. The Cabinet has taken a step towards imposing
dual power. In essence, this is direct presidential rule. With such actions,
they are trying to deny Kyivans the right to choose their government.”

Recall, the responsibility of the Kyiv mayorship is
divided into two official posts: the mayor of the city, which is elected by the
public, and the head Kyiv City Administration, which is typically awarded by
president to the winner of mayoral election. More authority is vested in the
administration head post, and Klitschko has been actively campaigning against a
replacement, which in his words will create an unproductive rivalry. Klitshcko
is the favorite to win election as Kyiv mayor in next year’s local elections,
according to polls.