The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has decided to dismiss Arsen Makarchuk from the position of Head of the State Statistics Service, a post he held for the last 20 months. As reported by RBC-Ukraine, this was made public by the permanent representative of the Cabinet of Ministers to the Verkhovna Rada, Taras Melnychuk, and by the Interfax-Ukraine news agency. Consequently, one of the key government agencies responsible for collecting and publishing official statistics is left without a permanent head once again.
Who will lead the State Statistics Service temporarily
The government has assigned the acting duties of the head of the State Statistics Service to Artem Rudko. Prior to this appointment, he served as Deputy Chairman of the Service for Digital Development, Digital Transformations, and Digitalization (CDTO). Transferring to acting duties means the agency will continue its operations as usual; however, the question of a permanent head remains open until the relevant selection process is completed.
Reasons for departure according to Makarchuk himself
Arsen Makarchuk himself, in a comment to Interfax-Ukraine, attributed his decision to leave to changes in the agency's subordination, which occurred some time after his appointment and, according to him, significantly impacted the service's operational efficiency. Furthermore, he noted that he had received an interesting offer in another important area for the country. He did not disclose specific details regarding the new appointment.
How a new leader will be chosen
Makarchuk reminded that according to legislation on the civil service and official statistics, a new head of the State Statistics Service must be elected through a competition. This means that after the acting period ends, the agency must undergo a public selection procedure, which, under current legislation, could take some time.
Context of staff changes
Makarchuk's dismissal comes amid a series of personnel changes within government bodies. Previously, the Cabinet of Ministers removed Ihor Kuzin from his position as Deputy Minister of Health and Chief State Sanitary Doctor, appointing Oleksandr Chepurny to his place. According to an RBC-Ukraine source, there was also a discussion within President Volodymyr Zelensky's circle regarding the possible removal of Vitali Klitschko from his position as head of the Kyiv City State Administration, but this idea was reportedly abandoned due to legal and political risks. The accumulation of these decisions points to a continued renewal of management across several departments.
