First Deputy PM wont return to Cabinet

First Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine Valeriy Khoroshkovskiy said on Dec. 14 that he won’t return to the Cabinet of Ministers led by Prime Minister Mykola Azarov. As his official reason, Khoroshkovskiy said Azarov isn’t capable of conducting economic reforms and defending Ukraine’s course towards Euro-integration. Yet Azarov reportedly didn’t give Khoroshkovskiy a post he had wanted, seeking to reduce his role as much as possible, Kommersant-Ukrayina reported on Dec. 17. Khoroshkovskiy was considered by media reports as a candidate to replace Azarov as PM and the two had clashed on the issue of Ukraine’s integration with the Customs Union.